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Plan  of  Chicasfo 


Municipal  Economy 


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Picture  of  Early  Chicago. 


CHICAGO:  View  of  the  pi'oposed  development  in  the  center  of  the  city,  from  Twenty-second 
Street  to  Chicago  Avenue,  looking  towards  the  East,  over  the  Civic  Center  to  Grant  Parli,  and  I,ake 
Michigan. 

[Copyrighted    by    the    Commercial    Club.] 


WACKER'S  MANUAL 


OF    THE 


PLAN  OF  CHICAGO 


Municipal  Economy 


Especially  Prepared  for  Study  in  the  Schools  of  Chicago 

Auspices  of  the 
CHICAGO    PLAN    COMMISSION 

BY 
WALTER   D.   MOODY 

Managing  Director,  Chicago  Plan  Commission 

1912 


Co])yrigbt  I'.lll 

by 

Waltek  D.   Moody 


/  /    ^/L^  I 


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Architecture  & 
tlfban  Planning 
UtKary 


/  I  ' 


Wacker's  Manual 


OF 


The  Plan  of  Chicago 

Municipal  Economy 


INTRODUCTION 

Clncago  is  destined  to  become  the  center  of  tlie  modern  world,  if  the  opportunities 
in  her  reach  are  intelligently  realized,  and  if  the  city  can  receive  a  sufficient  snit])ly  of 
trained  and  enlightened  citizens. 

Actuated  by  this  belief,  the  author  has  mapped  out  the  part  Chicago  school  chil- 
dren are  to  play  in  creating  tlie  greater  Chicago  of  the  future.  Cliicago  must  grow  to 
conform  to  a  scientific  plan  to  replace  the  makeshift  that  has  tried  to  keep  pace  with 
the  city's  development  in  the  past  and  to  make  this  possible  it  must  have  a  citizenship 
trained  in  its  duties.  A  large  proportion  of  the  graduates  from  our  schools  remain  in 
Chicago  for  their  professional  or  business  li^■es,  and  this  book  is  intended  to  fit  them  to 
take  an  intelligent  part  as  future  citizens  of  a  great  citj'  in  carrying  out  the  Plan  of 
Chicago. 

Love  of  country,  the  feeling  which  is  inherent  in  every  normal  boy  and  girl,  and 
which  is  expressed  by  them  throughout  their  lives  in  their  many  acts  of  patriotic  de- 
votion, is,  by  develojiment  of  our  civilization,  being  given  a  companion  sentiment — 
devotion  and  passionate  interest  in  the  safety  and  welfare  of  our  cities.  This  new  feel- 
ing of  community  patriotism,  an  outgrowth  of  modern  conditions  of  life,  takes  the 
form  generally  of  a  high  and  controlling  pride  in  one's  native  city,  or  in  the  city  in 
which  one  abides  and  has  adopted  as  his  home. 

Modern  educators  and  leaders  in  public  affairs,  noting  the  birth  and  rise  of  this 
patriotic  impulse  in  our  cities,  see  in  it  a  great  factor  for  future  good  for  the  coun- 
try. They  see  in  it  the  ap]»roach  of  good  government  in  the  cities  and  the  end  of  evil 
administration  of  our  communities.  They  see,  too,  that  development  aiul  cultivation 
of  this  impulse  means  good  effects  of  the  most  stable  and  lasting  character  \\\w\\  our 
national  institutions  by  a  deepening,  broadening,  and  intensifying  of  national  patriotism. 

Thus  arises  the  recognized  need  of  bringing  out  in  the  children  of  our  cities  a 
sharp,  clear,  vivid  interest  in  those  cities,  in  their  history,  in  their  growth,  in  their 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF  CHICAGO 


present,  and  in  tlieir  future.  The  fact  that  so  many  millions  of  our  people  now  live  in 
cities,  and  that  city  growth  is  continuing  on  increasing  lines,  means  absolutely  that  the 
cities  and  their  people  will  shape  the  course  and  form  the  destiny  of  our  country  at 
large.  The  cities  will  set  the  policies  for  the  nation.  Impulses  for  good  order, 
cleanliness,  honesty,  and  economy  in  government  must  be  the  product  of  education 
of  the  children  of  our  cities,  if  our  country  is  to  continue  its  course  in  history  and 
maintain  its  place  in  civilization. 

Observers  of  this  new  and  growing  feeling  of  civic  patriotism  are  finding  that  it 
finds  expression  among  the  people,  and  jiarticularly  among  the  youth  of  tlie  cities,  as 
freely  as  does  that  based  on  the  broader  foundation  of  love  of  native  land.  In  some 
ways  this  devotional  impulse  comes  more  quickly  and  freely,  even,  than  that  pertain- 
ing to  our  national  life.  While,  of  course,  it  never  is  expressed  with  the  height  of 
emotion  which  meets  an  appeal  to  the  older  and  deeper  patriotism,  it  is  usually  much 
easier  to  arouse.  This  is  because  one's  city  is  so  much  more  closely  and  intimately 
known  than  the  great  entity  of  the  nation. 

Students  of  modern  history,  seeking  to  classify  or  set  apart  this  devotion  to  the 
city  by  its  people,  and  love  of  a  city  by  its  children,  will  find  the  feeling  not  only  a 
new,  unique  and  valuable  tendency  of  the  times,  but  also  a  revival,  lender  modern  con- 
ditions, of  a  patriotism  as  old  as  civilization  itself.  It  is  a  restoration  to  the  world,  in 
modified  form,  of  the  devotional  impulse  and  effort  by  which  the  peoples  of  all  the 
great  cities  of  the  past  built  up,  beautified  and  extended  the  fame  of  their  cities. 

It  is  becoming  a  recognized  fact  that  the  power,  growth  and  advancement  of  a 
city  is  limited  only  by  the  measure  of  united  civic  interest  of  its  people.  The  stronger 
and  more  vital  the  community  spirit,  the  greater  and  more  influential  the  city.  It  is 
this  spirit  which  gives  Chicago  its  great  world  distinction, — an  indomitable,  living, 
throbbing  love  for  the  city,  expressing  a  demand  of  its  united  people  that  the  city 
shall  deserve  and  achieve  greatness. 

Conditions,  then,  demand  that  this  new  impulse  of  love  for  this  city  shall  l)e  fos- 
tered, and  that  our  children  shall  be  taught  that  they  are  the  coming  responsible  heads 
of  their  various  communities.  "We  direct  the  national  patriotic  impulse  into  the  paths 
of  duty,  and  it  is  vital  that  we  do  the  same  with  the  new  impulse  for  civic  good.  Con- 
ditions which  make  for  good  health,  good  order  and  good  citizenship  must  be  made  clear 
to  our  children.  The  needs  and  possibilities  for  expansion  and  development  of  commu- 
nity life  under  proper  conditions  must  be  outlined  for  the  young,  that  effort  under  the 
urge  of  civic  patriotism  may  be  properly  directed.  Finally,  our  children  must  be  led 
to  recognize  their  duty  of  looking  to  the  future,  knowing  that  to  be  unmindful  of  the 
needs  of  days  to  come  is  to  be  unfaithful  of  obligations  to  themselves,  their  communi- 
ties and  their  Creator. 

"We  have  reached  a  time  now  when  the  citizen,  to  do  his  duty,  must  plan  for  the  wel- 
fare of  coming  generations.  It  is  necessary  that  the  people  realize,  and  that  the  young 
be  taught,  that  the  really  great  work  of  the  world  today  is  that  which  foresees  and 
builds  for  the  future. 

This  book  is  intended  to  convince  the  child  that  he  owes  loyalty  to  the  city  that  gave 
him  his  education  and  offers  liim  an  opportunity  to  enter  any  one  of  her  great  fields  of 


INTRODUCTION 


industrial  or  professional  activity.  It  soems  advisable  to  give  a  nnniber  of  qnestions  at 
the  end  of  each  cliaj^ter  to  assist  the  chiki  in  lliis  rather  difticiilt  snl)ject.  In  seekiiis'  an- 
swers to  these  qnestions  the  school  child  will  instill  in  his  mind  a  permanent  interest  in 
the  civic  welfare  of  Chicago  that  will  be  an  immense  benefit  to  the  future  of  our  city. 
Proper  emphasis  has  been  given  to  the  history  of  great  cities  of  the  past  and  to  the 
causes  that  led  to  their  jiower.  It  is  the  earnest  purpose  of  the  antlior  to  make  the 
child  feel  that  in  him  rests  the  responsibility  of  assisting  Chicago  to  attain  her  future 
greatness.  The  co-operation  of  the  instructor  is  earnestly  songlit  for  in  teaching  tlie 
child  how  he  may  lend  assistance  in  this  work.  It  is  the  firm  belief  of  the  author  that 
the  success  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  depends  on  the  hold  it  has  in  the  hearts  of  this  city's 
future  citizens. 

Chicago,  November  28,  1911.  W.  D.  M. 


THE  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

lutroduction 
Prefatory  Note 

I.  Municipal    Economy 11 

II.  The  Basis  for  City  Planning 19 

III.  Possibilities  of  Expansion 24 

IV.  City  Building  in  Ancient  Times 32 

V.  City  Building  in  Europe 40 

VI.  Modern  Cities  in  America 54 

VII.  Why  Chicago  Needs  a  Plan 59 

VIII.  A'^alue  of  Permanency  in  City  Building 65 

IX.  Origin  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago 74 

X.  The  Commercial  Possibilities  of  a  Plan  for   Chicago 86 

XI.  The  Plan  of  Chicago ;  Its  Purpose  and  Meaning 95 

XIT.  Solving  Chicago's  Transportation  Problems 99 

XIII.  Perfecting  Our  Street  System 104 

XIV.  The  Connecting  Boulevard  Link — Michigan  Avenue 115 

XV.  A  Park  System  for  Chicago 125 

XVI.  Creating  a  Civic  Center 135 

XVII.  Final  Result  of  the  Plan 140 


A   LIST   OF  THE   CHARTS   AND   PICTURES 

Chicago:     X'it'W  of  till'  Proposed  DevelopiiK'nt  in  the  Coiiter  ol'  the  C'ity   from  'rwciity-secoiul 

Street  to  Chicago  Avenue Frontispiece 

Fort  Dearborn  as  Seen  from  the  Nortli,  ISKi 11 

Chicago  in  1882  12 

Chicago,  South  Water  Street.  1834 1'2 

Chicago  in  1845,  from  tlie  West 13 

Chicago  in   1846 13 

Flood  in  the  Chicago  River,  184!) 14 

Robert  De  LaSalle 14 

Chicago,  Michigan  Avenue  from  Pai-k  Row,  18(i4 14 

Father  Jac(iues  jManjuette 15 

Immediately  After  Great  Chicago  Fire  of  1871 15 

Tremont  House,  Corner  Lake  and  Dearborn  Streets,  1875    16 

Michigan  Avenue  Looking  Toward  the  South 1!) 

First  Locomotive  in  Chicago,  1848 20 

Chicago 's  Fii'st  Passenger  t'oach 20 

Modern  Steel  Railroad  Train,  1911 20 

Chicago's  First  Railroad  Depot 21 

!>;2().00().000  Northwestern  Passenger  Station,  Opened  1911 21 

ilouth  of  the  Chicago  River 24 

Passenger  Steamer  Entering  Chicago  River 24 

Siiipping  ill  Chicago  River 24 

Logging  in  Minnesota 25 

Grand  Crossing,  Chicago,  Showing  a  Section  of  Chicago  as  a  Great  Railway  Center 25 

Reaping  Wheat  in  North  Dakota 26 

Cattle  Range  in  Nebraska 26 

Farming  Country  in  Illinois 26 

Coal  Mine  in  Illinois 27 

Flour  IMills  and  Elevators  in  Wisconsin 27 

Peach  ( )rchard  in  Micliigan 28 

South  Water  Street,  Chicago 28 

Apple  Orchard  in  Michigan 28 

Chicago:     View  Looking  West  Over  the  City, Showing   the   Proposed  Civic  Center,  the  Grand 

Axis,  Grant  Park  and  the  Harbor 82 

Athens  During  Siege  of  the  Venetians 33 

Ancient  City  of  Babylon 33 

Panorama  of  Modern  Athens 33 

Pericles,  wlio  Planned  Ancient  Athens 34 

Athens  and  the  Acropolis 34 

Rome  in  the  XlVth  Century 35 

Augustus  Ca-sar,  the  Roman  Emperor  and  ( 'ity  Builder 35 

Panorama  of  the  Roman  Forum 36 

Rome :     Baths  of  Caracalla 36 

An  Ancient  Roman  Circus,  Near  tlie  Appian  Way 37 

The  Arch  of  Constantine,  Rome 37 

Pantheon.    Rome 38 

Frn-um,  Rome 38 

Chicago:     Proposed  Boulevard  on  Michigan  Avenue,  View  Looking  North  from  a  Point  East 

of  the  Public  Library 40 

Paris:     Avenue  des  Champs  Elysees  Looking  Towards  1lie  Ai-c  de  Triomphe 41 

Louis  XIV.  of  France,  the  Original  City  Builder 41 


Paris :     Court  of  the  Louvre 42 

Transformation  of  the  Banks  of  the  Seine  iu  Paris,  17SU 43 

Transformation  of  the  ]>anks  of  the  Seine  in  Paris,  1S:!() 43 

Transformation  of  the  Hanks  of  the  Seine  in  Paris,  1S,S() 43 

Chronologieal  \'ie\vs  of  Phiee  de  la  Bastile,  Paris,  1740 44 

Chronologieal  \'iews  of  Phiee  de  la  Bastile,  Paris,  LS41 44 

Chi'onologieal  Mews  of  Place  de  la  Bastile,  Paris,  1S7S 44 

Baron  Georges  Eugene  Haussmaun,  the  Greatest  City  Builder  of  All  Time 45 

Paris:     The  Place  de  la  Concorde,  Looking  over  the  Seine  towards  the  Madeleine 45 

Rue  de  Rivoli,  Paris 46 

Dusseldorf,   Germany :     The  llunieipal   Art   Gallery 47 

Dusseldorf,  Germany  :     The  Rhine  Embankment 47 

Dusseldorf,   Germany :     j\lunieipal   Theatre 48 

Dusseldorf,  Germany  :     Bridge  across  the  Rhine 48 

Ste))hanie   Bridge,    Vienna 49 

Vienna,    Kaerutnerring 49 

Franzeu  Bridge,  Vienna 50 

Karolin   Bridge,   Vienna 50 

Kronprinz  Rudolf  Bridge,   Vienna 51 

Nancy,  France  :     View  of  the  Place  Stanislas 51 

Street  Scene  in  Vienna 52 

The  Sieges  Alice,  Berlin 52 

Pul)lic  Garden  and  the  Theseus  Temple 53 

A  Civic  Center  in  Berlin 53 

Chicago:     Bird's-eye  View  of  Grant  Park,  the  Facaile  of  the  City,  the  Proposed  Harbor  and 

the  Lagoons  of  the  Proposed  Park  on  the  South  Shoi-e 54 

George  Washington,  Who  Planned  the  City  of  Washington 55 

Original  Plan  of  Washington  Designed  by  Peter  Charles  L "Enfant 55 

The  Washington  Jlonument,  Garden  and  Mall   Looking  Toward  the   Capitol;   Senate   Park 

Commission    Plan 56 

Cleveland  CJroup  Plan:     View  Looking  Towards  the  Lake  from  the  Pi'oposed  Civic  Center.  .  .  57 

The  L 'Enfant  Plan  of  Washington  as  Developed  by  the  Senate  Park  Comnussion  of  1901 57 

Cleveland  Group  Plan :     Proposed  Civic  Center,    Railway  Station   and   Gardens  Now  Being 

Executed 58 

Chicago :     View  Looking  North  on  the  South  Branch  of  the  Chicago  River,  Showing  the  Sug- 
gested Arrangement  of  Streets  and  Ways  for  Teaming  and  Reception  of  Freight  Ijy  Boat 

at  Different  Levels   59 

Plan  of  Athens  in  Roman  Times 60 

A^ienna  in  the  17tli  Century 61 

The  Transformation  of  Paris  under  Haussmann 62 

Panorama  of  Part  of  ]\Iodern  Rome 63 

Indian  Camp  on  Chicago  River 6o 

Mar.|uette  and  Joliet,  1673  ■•  ■  66 

French  Fort  at  Chicago,  1685 67 

Commerce  on  the  Chicago-Portage.  1765 , 67 

Fort  Dearborn  and  Kinzie  House,  1803-4 68 

Fort  Dearborn  IMassacre,  1812 69 

Hubbard's  Train.  1827 ''0 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  1848 'i'l 

Camp  Douglas,  1862  'i'l- 

Great  Fire  of  1871   '^2 

World 's   Fair,   1893 72 

Memorial  Cross  in  Memory  of  Marquette  and  Joliet '^^ 

Chicago  :     Railway  Stations  Scheme  West  of  the  River  between  Canal  and  Clinton  Streets 74 

Chicago :     Plan  of  the  Street  and  Boulevard  System,  Present  and  Proposed 76 

Diocletian  Baths,  Rome 77 

The  Viaduct  at  Anteuil  over  the  River  Seine.  Paris.  France 78 

Modern  Athens  and  IMt.  Lycabettus 79 

Siena,  Italy    80 


Chicago:     General   Map   Showing  Topography,    Waterways  and  Complete  System  ot'  Streets, 

Boulevards,  Parkways  and  Parks 81 

Chicago :     \'iew  of  the  City  from  Jackson  Park  to  (iraiit  Park 82 

Chicago:  Plan  of  a  Complete  System  of  Street  Cire-iilatinii  and  S\sli'in  of  Parks  and  Play- 
grounds         83 

Arch  of  Septimus  Severus,  Rome 84- 

Temple  of  \'esta,  Rome 84 

Sir  Christopher  Wren   86 

Chicago,  Bird  's-eye  View 86 

Vienna.  Bird  's-eye  View 88 

Lonilou,  Bird's-eye  View  90 

New  York,  Bird  's-eye  View Ill 

Paris.  Bird  's-eye  View  !)2 

Berlin.   Bird's-eye   View !j;5 

The  World's  Columbian  Exposition.  Ciiicago.  ISD.'J.     The  Court   of  Honor.  Looking  Towards 

the  Peristyle 'Ji 

Chicago:  Plan  of  the  Complete  System  of  Street  Circulation;  Railway  Stations;  Parks, 
Boulevard  Circuits  and  Radial  Arteries;  Public    Recreation    Piers;    'i'acht    Harbor    and 

Pleasure-Boat  Piers 9G 

Chicago:  Diagram  of  City  Center,  Showing  the  Proposed  Arrangement  of  Railroad  Passen- 
ger Stations,  the  Complete  Traction  System,  including  Rapi(i  Transit  Subway  and  Ele- 
vated Roads,  aiul  the  Circuit  Subway  Line Of) 

Chicago:  Diagram  of  the  Cit.y  Center.  Showing  the  General  Location  of  Existing  Freight 
Yards  and  Railroad  Lines,  the  Present  Tunnel  System  and  Proposed  Circuit,  and  Con- 
nections for  all  These  Services.  Rvnniing  to  the  Central  Clearing  Yards 100 

Chicago  :     'The  Great  Central  Market" 101 

Chicago  :     Proposed   Twelfth   Street    Improvement  at  its  Intersections  with  ]Michigan  Aveiuie 

and  Ashland  Avenue 104 

Chicago:  Plan  of  the  Center  of  the  City,  showing  the  Present  Street  and  Boulevard  Sys- 
tem, and  the  Proposed  Additional  Arteries  and  Street  Wideniiigs 105 

Chicago  :     Plan  of  the  Quadrangle 106 

Chicago  :     Plan  of  the  New  Twelfth  Street 107 

Chicago:     General  Diagram  of  Exterior  Highways  Encircling  or  Radiating  fi-om  the  City .  .    112 

Chicago:     Proposed  Boulevard  to  connect  the  North  and  South  Sides  of  the  River 115 

Jlichigan  Avenue  and  Jlichigan  Avenue  Pi'ojected   118 

Proposed  Double  Deck  Bridge  for  North  and  South  Boulevard  Connection  I\Iichigan  Avenue 

and  ^Michigan  Avenue  Projected 119 

Diagram  of  North  and  South  Boulevard  Connection,  showing  Width  of  Street  North  and 
South  of  the  River  and  the  Zone  of  the  Proposed  Improvement,  Indicating  all  Intei-sect- 

ing  Thoroughfares 120 

Section.  Through  Michigan  Avenue  between  Lake  Street  and  South  Water  Street 121 

The  World's  Columbian  Exposition.  Chicago.  1893.     The  Court  of  Honor.  Looking  Towards 

the  Peristyle.  Showing  Effect  of  an  Orderly  Arrangement  of  Buildings   124 

Chicago:     View  Looking  South  over  the  Lagoons  of  the  Proposed  Lake  Front  Park  for  the 

South  Shore  125 

Chicago :     Lake  Shore  from  Chicago  Avenue  on  the  North  to  Jackson  Park  on  the  South  ....   126 
Chicago :     Plan  of  a  Park  Proposed  on  the  Main  East-and-West  Axis  of  the  City  at  Congress 

Street  and  Fifty-second  Avenue 1 29 

Chicago:     Plan  of  a  Park  Proposed  at  Western  Boulevard  and  Garfield  Boulevard,  being  an 

Extension  of  Gage  Park 131 

Chicago:     Plan  of  a  Park  Proposed  at  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  River  and  Graceland 

Aveiuie    132 

Chicago:     View,  Looking  West,  of  the  Proposed  Civic  Center,  Plaza  and  Buildings,  showing 

it  as  the  Center  of  the  System  of  Arteries  of  Circulation  and  of  the  Surrounding  Country  135 

Chicago :     The  Business  Center  of  the  City  within  the  First  Circuit  Boule\'ard 137 

Chicago:  The  Proposed  Civic  Center  Square,  sliowiug  the  Group  of  Surrounding  Build- 
ings Crowned  liy  the  Central  Dome 138 


PREFATORY   NOTE 

In  the  following  pages,  the  author  aims  to  furnish  a  concise  and  interesting 
text  book  in  which  brief  notice  is  taken  of  Chicago's  past,  thoughtful  consideration 
given  Chicago's  present,  and  deep  effort  made  to  foresee  Chicago's  future.  The  ob- 
ject is  to  prepare  the  student's  mind  for  the  reception  of  that  portion  of  Wacker's 
Manual  which  is  devoted  to  a  study  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

What  is  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

It  is  a  plan  to  direct  the  future  growth  of  the  city  in  an  orderly,  systematic  way. 

What  is  its  object? 

To  make  Chicago  a  real,  centralized  city,  instead  of  a  group  of  overcrowded,  over- 
grown villages. 

What  does  it  mean? 

That  by  properly  solving  Chicago's  problems  of  transportation,  street  congestion, 
recreation,  and  public  health,  the  city  may  grow  indefinitely  in  wealth  and  commerce. 
It  is  realized  that  this  is  of  significance  only  in  connection  with  Chicago's  actual  social, 
intellectual,  and  moral  upbuilding. 

The  ideal  of  a  city  must  rise  above  mere  commercial  and  industrial  supremacy',  tak- 
ing the  higher  ground  of  becoming  an  attractive,  larger  home  for  its  residents  of  all 
classes,  as  well  as  for  the  stranger. 

Because  it  affects  the  hapjnness  and  prosperity  of  all  our  citizens,  and  of  millions  yet 
to  have  a  home  among  us,  the  Plan  of  Chicago  should,  in  some  measure  and  in  some  de- 
gree, be  not  only  a  study  of  our  children  but  of  every  citizen. 

Each  citizen  has  duties  to  perform  towards  his  city  and  rights  to  claim  from  it. 
Unless  in  some  measure  he  knows  those  duties  and  those  rights,  he  can  never  act  a  just 
and  independent  ]nirt. 

Neglect  of  the  citizen  to  give  some  of  his  time,  some  of  his  thought,  and  some  of  his 
money  for  the  public  good,  if  widely  distributed,  would  mean  disaster  to  the  community. 

Chicago  today  stands  at  the  threshold  of  a  great  future. 

What  are  we,  as  citizens,  to  do  to  promote  the  future  well-lieing  of  our  city? 

First,  we  are  to  study  the  Plan  of  Chicago  that  we  may  understand  it.  When  that 
is  accomplished,  we  are  to  make  it  clearly  and  distinctively  our  ideal. 

We  are  to  look  forward  to  the  carrying  out  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  in  the  broad 
spirit  that  an  injury  to  one  is  an  injury  to  all,  and  tliat  the  well-being  of  one  promotes 
the  well-being  of  all. 

We  are  to  make  the  Plan  our  ideal  and  to  init  it  l)efore  us  and  dare  to  recognize  it 
and  to  believe  in  it  and  to  build  for  it. 

We  are  to  look  forward  to  the  time  when  it  will  seem  as  extraordinary  not  to  have 
an  official  plan  toward  which  to  direct  the  growth  of  our  city  as  it  now  seems  that  Chi- 
cago was  ever  permitted  to  grow  in  an  orderless  and  formless  manner. 

We  are  to  establish  by  the  influence  and  work  of  a  united  citizenship  the  power  of 
law  necessarv  for  Chicago's  advancement  commensurate  with  her  greatness. 


PREFATORY   NOTE 


It  requires  only  sufficient  community  patriotism  to  substitute  order  for  disorder,  and 
reason,  common  sense,  and  action  for  negligence,  indifference,  and  inertia. 

In  this  work  of  citizen  building  and  city  planning,  our  children  must  play  their  part, 
wliich  is  an  imiiortanl  one,  as  set  forth  in  the  inlroduction  to  this  study. 

Having  answered  the  questions — What  is  the  Plan  of  Ciiicago  ?  What  is  its  ol)ject? 
and  What  does  it  moan? — just  here  it  is  appropriate  to  ask  two  other  questions,  namely, 

How  and  wlicrc  was  the  Plan  of  Chicago  originated?  Who  is  handling  the  Plan  of 
Chicago? 

While  in  the  text  the  history  of  Chicago's  social  and  industrial  progress,  and  also 
the  value,  needs,  and  desirability  of  the  plan  has  been  eni])hasized,  the  author  has  adhered 
strictly  to  the  ])lan  of  exchuling  all  reference  to  jiersons  and  incidents  that  cannot  pro])- 
erly  be  made  a  part  of  this  text  book;  but  it  should  be  recognized  somewhere  in  this  book 
that  one  of  the  finest  achievements  in  the  history  of  civic  advance  must  be  accredited  to 
the  very  few  men  who,  by  reason  of  their  worthy  suggestions,  many  sacrifiices,  indomitable 
energy,  and  never  faltering  spirit  in  preparing  and  giving  to  their  city  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago, are  deserving  of  lasting  renown  and  the  gratitude  of  every  citizen. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago  was  inspired  in  the  minds  of  a  small  number  of  men,  leaders  in 
the  business  life  of  the  city,  and  members  of  two  of  Chicago's  most  prominent  social  or- 
ganizations— the  Commercial  Club  and  the  Merchants' Club.  This  was  in  the  period  im- 
mediatelj'  follow'ing  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  held  in  Chicago  in  1893. 

After  the  great  World's  Fair  was  closed  some  of  the  men  who  had  worked  to  make 
it  a  great  success  for  Chicago  met  together  at  their  clubs.  They  had  learned  during  the 
Fair  that  orderly  arrangement  of  buildings  and  streets  gave  a  most  pleasing  etTect. 
They  clearly  saw  that  to  create  a  broad  plan  to  that  end,  and  to  carry  it  out  throughout 
all  Chicago,  would  be  to  make  their  home  city  famous  all  over  the  world.  Therefore 
they  set  about  working  out  a  plan  to  do  this  great  thing,  and  the  plan  they  develo])ed  by 
years  of  study  is  today  known  as  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

Credit  for  first  voicing  a  city-wide  plan  for  the  Chicago  of  the  future  is  given  to 
Mr.  Franklin  IMacYeagh,  who,  in  1901,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Commercial  Club,  suggested 
the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  that  organization  to  consider  the  advisability  of  pre- 
paring such  a  ]tlan. 

"Wliile  the  Commercial  Clul)  Committee  was  working,  an  independent  movement  to 
the  same  end  was  started  by  the  Merchants'  Club.  In  this  work  Mr.  Charles  I).  Norton 
and  Mr.  Frederic  A.  Delano  were  prominent.  The  plans  thus  advanced  were  entirely 
formulated  by  1906,  when  the  Merchants'  Club  formally  undertook  the  work.  In  1907 
the  two  clubs  united  under  the  name  of  the  Commercial  Club,  which  in  1908  gave  the 
world  the  com]ileted  Plan  of  Chicago. 

In  producing  the  Plan  of  Chicago  the  Commercial  Club  spared  neither  time,  money 
nor  effort.  ]\Ir.  Daniel  II.  Burnham,  world  renowned  architect  and  resident  of  Chicago, 
a  man  whose  services  in  city  planning  have  been  in  demand  all  over  America  for  years, 
took  charge  of  the  details  of  the  plan.  He  gave  his  genius  to  the  task  without  charge. 
Assisted  by  Mr.  Edward  H.  Bennett,  he  lu-odncod  all  llic  charts,  maps,  and  drawings 
necessary  for  carrying  out  the  remodeling  and  develojmient  of  the  city.  In  1908  these, 
together  with  an  explanatory  narrative  written  by  Mr.  Charles  Moore,  corresponding 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


member  American  Iiit^titute  of  Architects,  were  arranged  in  a  magnificent  vulnme  pub- 
lished bj-  the  Commercial  Club. 

In  1907  the  first  Plan  Committee  of  the  Commercial  Club  was  organized  with  Mr. 
Charles  D.  Norton  as  Chairman  and  Mr.  Charles  H.  Wacker  as  Vice-Cliairman.  These 
plan  leaders  retained  their  respective  offices  with  each  succeeding  plan  committee  until 
the  year  1909,  when  Mr.  Norton  resigned  to  take  up  liis  residence  in  Washington.  Mr. 
Charles  H.  Wacker  succeeded  him  as  Chairman,  which  office  he  in  turn  A'acated  when  he 
received  his  appointment  from  tlie  Mayor  of  Chicago  as  ]»ermanent  chairman  of  the  Clii- 
cago  Plan  Commission.  Mr.  Edward  B.  Butler  succeeded  him  as  Chairman  of  the  club's 
Plan  Committee. 

Thus,  after  years  of  study  and  of  hard  work  by  tlie  Commercial  Club  memliers,  the 
plan  was  completed  and  ready  for  submission  to  the  citizens  in  the  early  Fall  of  19U9. 
The  completion  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  was  the  most  important  civic  event  in  the  history 
of  our  city.  Then  it  was  evident  to  the  leaders  of  the  movement  that  the  time  had  come 
to  engage  the  interests  of  the  pul)lic  and  to  put  the  plan  into  the  hands  of  the  representa- 
tives of  the  people.  After  conferring  with  the  city  authorities,  it  was  decided  to  create  a 
permanent  organization  to  he  known  as  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission.  This  body,  it 
was  decided,  should  be  composed  of  a  large  number  of  men  of  influence,  to  be  representa- 
tive of  the  business  and  social  interests  of  the  city. 

July  6,  1909,  the  Hon.  Fred  A.  Busse,  Mayor  of  Chicago,  sent  a  message  to  the  City 
Council  requesting  authority  to  appoint  this  commission,  which  was  immediately  granted. 

November  1,  1909,  the  Mayor  sent  to  the  City  Council  a  second  message  containing 
the  names  of  the  328  leading  men  of  Chicago  wiio  were  to  make  up  the  membership  of 
the  first  Chicago  Plan  Commission. 

To  secure  at  all  times  adequate  representation  on  this  Commission  of  the  City  Gov- 
ernment and  of  all  other  locally  interested  governmental  agencies,  it  was  provided  that 
the  heads  of  all  city  departments  and  other  local  public  powers  [whose  memberships 
would  cease  when  they  retired  from  office  and  which  would  be  resumed  by  their  suc- 
cessors], should  be  appointed  as  memliers. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Commission,  held  in  the  City  Council  Chambers,  Novem- 
ber 4, 1909,  in  recognition  of  his  long  and  faithful  public  service  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Frank  I. 
Bennett  was  elected  Vice-Chairman.  IMr.  Henry  Barrett  Chamberlin  was  elected  Secre- 
tary pro  tern,  which  office  he  resigned  late  in  1910. 

"  January  13,  1911,  the  Executive  Committee  appointed  as  the  Commission's  Manag- 
ing Director  Mr.  Walter  D.  Moody,  formerly  General  Maiuiger  of  the  Chicago  Associa- 
tion of  Commerce. 

Tlie  City  Council,  under  the  Busse  administration,  created  the  Plan  Commission  and 
started  the  work  in  the  passage  of  an  ordinance  for  the  widening  and  improvement  of 
Twelfth  Street  from  Ashland  to  Michigan  Avenue. 

The  Harrison  administration,  recognizing  the  city's  great  need  for  an  improved 
through  east  and  west  artery,  between  Harrison  and  Eighteenth  streets,  immediately 
took  over  the  proposed  Twelfth  Street  improvement,  upon  which  work  liad  not  been 
started,  with  a  determination  to  carry  it  through  successfully  and  in  a  manner  satisfac- 
tory to  all  the  ]ioop]e. 


PREFATORY    NOTE 


Thus  lias  the  work  of  the  Chicago  Phui  Commission  been  established  upon  a  non- 
partisan and  non-politieal  foundation. 

Mayor  Harrison  was  the  tirst  to  propose  the  Michigan  Avenue  "boulevard  link"  in 
1905.  Afterwards  this  contemplated  imiiroveraent  became  an  important  part  of  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  as  a  whole.  His  re-election  in  1911  again  connected  him  with  the  project  he 
fathered  and  which  is  being  promoted  by  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission. 

Thus  the  Plan  of  Chicago  was  originated,  and  thus  it  is  being  worked  out. 

Nature  gave  Chicago  the  location  that  nnder  the  touch  of  modern  commerce  pro- 
duced the  great  city.  It  is  not  Chicago's  growth  that  amazes.  That  growth  naturally 
accompanied  industr.y.    It  is  Chicago's  spirit  which  grips  the  world's  attention. 

No  city  in  America — perhaps  none  in  the  world — has  the  love  and  devotion  of  its 
people  that  Chicago  has. 

No  people  of  any  city  will  laljor  so  hard,  or  sacrifice  so  much  for  their  city,  as  will 
the  people  of  Chicago. 

It  is  this  civic  patriotism — almost  as  strong  as  our  love  of  country — that  will  deter- 
mine the  successful  future  of  our  city,  in  the  realization  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

It  is  desirable  that  the  instructors  of  our  schools  organize  the  mighty  forces  at  their 

com.mand  and  prepare  the  minds  of  onr  children  to  grasp  and  lay  fast  hold  npou  the 

science  of  city  planning,  as  related  to  the  future  glory  of  Chicago,  and  the  prosperity 

and  haiiiiiness  of  all  her  people. 

W.  D.  M. 

Chicago,  November  28,  1911. 


TO    THE    CHAIRMAN    OP    THE 
CHICAGO    PLAN    COMMISSION 


THE  TIRELESS.  SACRIFICIAL  EF- 
FORT OF  CHARLES^  H.  WACKER 
IN  ADVANCING  THE  PLAN  OF 
^^^  CHICAGO  FROM  ITS  VETRT  IN- 
=^=  CEPTION  WAS  THE  CHIEF 
SOURCE  OF  INSPIRATION  TO  THE 
AUTHOR  IN  CONCEmNG  AND  PREPAR- 
ING THIS  STUDY  FOR  THE  SCHOOLS 
OF    CHICAGO. 

HIS  UNSELFISH  DEVOTION  TO  CHI- 
CAGO'S COMMON  GOOD  SHOULD  SHINE 
FOR  ALL  TIME  BEFORE  HIS  FELLOW 
CITIZENS  AS  A  BEACON  LIGHT  OF 
USEFUL  CITIZENSHIP.  THIS  BOOK  IS 
DEDICATED  TO  HIM,  AND  ENTITLED 
"WACKER'S  MANUAL  OF  THE  PLAN  OF 
CHICAGO"  AS  A  DISTINCT  MARK  OF 
RECOGNITION  OF  HIS  JIERITORIOUS 
SERVICE    TO    THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 

THE  AUTHOR 


MUNICIPAL   ECONOMY 


11 


CHAPTER  I 


MUNICIPAL  ECONOMY 

All  over  the  world  there  is,  at  this 
period,  an  astonishing  and  unparalleled 
movement  of  people  toward  cities.  In 
every  country  cities  are  larger  today  than 
at  any  time  in  all  history.  Moreover,  the 
flow  of  all  peoples  cityward  is  growing 
throughout  the  world.  Every  census  shows 
this  to  be  true. 
The  tendency 
of  people  to 
gather  in  close 
contact  has  al- 
ways existed, 
but  today  is 
operating 
more  strongly 
than  ever  in 
the  history  of 
man. 

Nat  urally, 
this  movement 
of  mankind  to 
congregate  in 
cities  in  every 
part  of  the 
world  is  creat- 
ing new  prob- 
lems in  government.  It  is  bringing  up  new 
tasks  in  social  science,  or  the  science  of 
maintaining  health  and  good  order  among 
people  of  different  families  and  different 
races  when  brought  closely  in  contact. 
From  this  contact  are  coming  new  needs. 
It  is  necessary  to  promote  happiness  and 
content  among  city  peo]ile,  and  to  interest 
them  in  the  development  of  a  proper  moral 
and  religious  life  in  their  communities. 
From  this  movement  arise  new  and  im- 
portant   questions    of    transporting    city 


dwellers  from  one  part  of  a  city  to  an- 
other, of  supplying  them  regularly  and 
properly  with  food  and  raiment,  and  of 
arranging  that  they  shall  have  employ- 
ment in  safe  and  sanitary  buildings 
and  homes  in  convenient  and  healthful 
houses. 

Along  with  this  growth  of  cities  all 
over  the  world,  and  i)articularly  in  Amer- 
ica, has  proceeded  a  movement  in  govern- 
ment by  which  the  people  have  been  given 
more  and  more  power  over  public  affairs, 


FORT  DEARBORN  AS  SEEN  FROM  THE  NORTH.  1816. 
[Original  Owned  by  tile  Cfiicag-o  Historical  Societj'.] 


that  is,  over  the  conduct  of  public  prop- 
erty in  behalf  of  the  people's  welfare. 
This  enlarged  power  has  increased  the  op- 
portunity for  hajipiness  and  enjoyment  of 
life  for  all  of  us,  but  at  the  same  time  it  has 
also  constantly  increased  the  responsibil- 
ity of  each  of  us.  It  has  made  it  the  duty 
of  every  child,  of  every  young  man  and 
young  woman,  to  prepare  to  see  to  it  that 
public  affairs  are  conducted  in  the  best 
possible  way. 

AYliile    this   increased  jiower   has   been 


12 


WACKEK'S   MANUAL    OF    THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


given  to  all  tlie  people,  in  the  country  as 
well  as  in  the  cities,  the  responsibility  and 
duty  in  government  falls  more  upon  the 
city  dweller  than  upon  the  countryman. 


CHICAGO  IN  1S32— Population  About  100. 
[Original  Owned  by  the  Chicago  Historical  Society.] 

This  is  because  there  are  more  and  greater 
problems  to  solve  in  the  safe  conduct  of 
cities  than  in  the  government  of  sparsely 
settled  territory.    The  larger  the  city,  too, 
the    greater    the    re- 
sponsibility   of   each 
of  us  living  there,  for 
in  the  large  cities  the 
problems  atfect  more 
people  and  more 
important      matters, 
and    thus    become 
more    intricate    and 
harder  to  rightly 
solve. 

Thus  we  of  Chi- 
cago, the  fourth  city 
in  the  world  in  popu- 
lation,   have    each    a 

greater  responsibility  and  a  graver  duty  in 
citizenship  than  have  the  people  of  almost 
any  other  city.  Besides  this  mere  matter 
of  size,  there  are  other  conditions  in  con- 
nection with  the  growth  of  our  citv  which 


add  to  our  personal  responsiliilities.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say,  probably,  that, 
under  the  laws  and  the  conditions  of  life 
in  Chicago  today,  each  of  us  owes  a  greater 

duty  of  devo- 
t  i  0  n  to  his 
splendid  city 
than  does  the 
citizen  of  any 
other  city  in 
the  world. 

Henry 
Drummond,  a 
very  wise  man 
and    great 
s  c  h  0  lar,  has 
said     s  o  m  e  - 
thing     to     be 
carefully  con- 
s  i  d  e  r  e  d  by 
every   young   person   in    Chicago,    for   it 
shows  us  how,  as  people  of  a  city,  our  in- 
fluence guides  the  destiny  of  the  nation. 
"The  city  is  strategic,"  he  says.  "It  makes 


CHICAGO.   SOUTH  W.XTER  STREET.  1S34. 
[Original  Owned  by  the  Chicago  Historical  Society.] 


the  towns ;  the  towns  make  the  villages ;  the 
villages  make  the  country.  He  who  makes 
the  city  makes  the  world.  After  all,  though 
men  make  cities,  it  is  cities  which  make 
men.    Whether  our  national  life  is  great  or 


MUNICIPAL    ECONOMY 


13 


mean,  whetlier  our  social  virtues  are  ma- 
ture or  stunted,  whetlier  our  sons  are  moral 
or  vicious,  ■whether  religion  is  possihle  or 
impossible,  do])ends  upon  the  city." 

That  was  another  way  of  stating  that 
our  cities  are 
coming  to 
have  the  most 
powerful  in- 
fluence in  our 
n  a  t  i  onal  af- 
fairs. For  a 
long  time  our 
government  at 
AYashin  g  t  o  n 
was  controlled 
mostly  hy  men  from  the  country,  from 
small  towns  or  villages  or  from  the  farms. 
In  recent  years  there  has  been  a  change. 
Our  Presidents  of  late  have  been  citv  men. 


Avliieh  means  greater  and  greater  need  for 
the  people  of  our  cities  to  be  well  informed, 
watchful  and  diligent  in  effort  for  the 
pul)lic  good. 

Elinihiatio)!    of    Waste    is    flic    Wurhl's 


CHICAGO  IN  1S45.  FROM  THE  WEST— Population  12.088. 
[Original   Owned   by   tlie   Cliicago  Historical  Society.] 


"A   penny 


CHICAGO  IN  1846— Population  14.1fi9. 
[Original  Owned  by  the   Chicago  Historical  Society.] 


and  they  are  calling  into  their  cabinets  for 
advisors  more  and  more  men  from  our 
great  cities.  The  cities,  with  their  large 
jMijiulations,  are  becoming  more  powerful 
forces    in    our    government    every    year. 


Greatest  Scientific  Problem. 
saved  is  a  penny  earned,"  is  a  saying  we 
have  all  heard.  "We  know  it  is  a  true  saying. 
]jut  few  of  us  know  or  realize  how  neces- 
sary it  is, 
with  the 
growth  of 
cities,  to 
p  1'  e  V  e  n  t 
waste.  Pew 
of  us  have 
thou  g  h  t 
how  import- 
ant it  is  that 
saving 
methods  of 
government 
he  adopted. 
Not  many 
of  us  think 
of  the  truth 
that  the 
more  peoiile 
there  are  in  cities  in  propoi'tion  to  the 
poimlation  of  our  country  the  fewer  there 
are  in  the  counti-y  to  jn'oduce  the  grain, 
vegetables  and  meats  so  necessary  to  our 
well-being. 


u 


WACKER'S    MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


FLOOD  IN 


TIII'J  I'HK'AGO  RIVER.  18-19. 
Population  :;3.047. 


As  tlie  cities  have  grown,  however,  we 
have  been  forced  to  realize  that  wasteful- 
ness of  food 
products 
must  cease. 
We  must 
realize  that 
food  can 
never  be  so 
p  1  e  n  t  i  f  ul 
and  cheap 
as  it  was 
when  fewer 
people  were  living  in  the  cities  and  more 
upon  the  farms.  That  is  one  simple  illus- 
tration of  the  present  necessity  of  saving 
and  stopping  wastefulness. 

This  movement  for  saving  things  to  get 
the  most  out  of  everything  is  a  world-wide 
movement.  Old  rags,  scraps  of  paper,  old 
iron  and  many  other  materials  formerly 
discarded  as  useless  are  now  made  into 
useful  products.  Great  fortunes  are  yearly 
made  from  new  economies.  In  our  cities 
great  public  works  have  been  undertaken 
to  save  lives.  The  public  health  officer 
does  not  allow  people  to  waste  their 
health.  Millions  of  dollars  are  spent 
in  b  u  i  1  d- 
i  n  g  great 
canals  and 
in  c  u  t - 
t  i  n  g  new 
streets, 
and  all  of 
these 
things  are 
to  elim- 
inate ex- 
pense, t  o 
save  mate- 
rial and  to 
save  the  very  valuable  time  of  millions  of 
people. 


Thus,  before  the  growth  of  cities  the 
best  efforts  of  mankind  were  devoted  to 
means  of  increasing  the  pro- 
duction of  useful  things  and 
to  the  improvement  of  ma- 
chinerv  and  other  aids  of  civ- 


Robert  De  LaSalle,  who  in  1G81-2 
matle  the  first  "Lakes  to  the  Gull'" 
trip,  making  a  portage  from  the  Clil- 
cago   River  to  the   Desplaines   River.    . 

[Original  Owned   by   Chi.   His.   See] 


i  1  i  z  a  tiono 

Today  the 

best    minds 

a  n  d  great- 

e  s  t  efforts 

are  bent  to 

the  task  of 

]i  r  eventing 

waste. 
Most  of 

US     know 

that  in  the 

last     ten 

years  there  has  grown  up  in  the  United 

States  a  widespread  agitation  for  conser- 
vation o  f 
0  u  V  n  a  t- 
u  r  a  1  1'  e  - 
s  o  u  r  c  es. 
That 
means  sim- 
ply the  sav- 
ing, for  the 
use  of  all 
the  people, 
of  the  for- 
ests stand- 


CHICAGO,  MICHIGAN  AVENUE  FTiOM  PARK  RO'W.  1S64 
Population  169,353. 
[Original  Owned  by  the   Chicago  Historical  Society.] 


mg  u  !>  o  n 
o  u  r  pub- 
lic lands,  the  water  powers  existing  in 
our   mountain   streams,   and   the  mineral 


MUNICIPAL   ECONOMY 


15 


wealth  underlying  the  lands  owned  by  tlie 
nation.  These  vast,  valuable  resources  of 
wealth  were  given  away  and  wasted  in 
times  of  plenty,  and  during-  the  settlement 
and  develojiment  of 
our  country.  Our 
cities  also  are  de- 
m  audi  ng  conserva- 
tion of  the  resources 
w  h  i  c  h  are  their 
wealth — the  health  of 
their  people,  the 
streets  by  which  they 
conveniently  go  from 
place  to  place,  the 
parks  within  which 
they  find  recreation, 
and  the  spacious  pub- 
lic centers  wherein 
they  build  great 
structui'es  expressive 
of  the  will  and  spirit 
of  their  peoples. 

Our  government,  in 
the    building    of   the 
great  Panama  canal, 
is  engaged  in  a  work  of  eliminating  waste. 
The  canal,  destined  to  shorten  the  steam- 


time  in  the  lives  of 


'•enerations 


Father  Jarques  Marquette,  and  Louis  Joliet  were 
the  first  white  men  to  cross  tlie  Cliicag'o  River. 
[Original   Owned    by    Chicago    Historical    Society.] 


and  of  people  who  will  benefit  by  quick 
transit  of  property  between  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  oceans.  Chicago,  in  the  con- 
st ruction  of  its 
great  drainage  canal 
from  Lake  Michigan, 
engaged  in  a  great 
task  of  preventing 
waste.  The  building 
of  the  canal  was  to 
p  r  e  V  e  n  t  waste  of 
health  and  lives  of 
tlie  people  of  Chicago 
by  stopping  sickness 
and  death  from  mal- 
adies that  could  be 
prevented  by  provid- 
ing pure  water  and 
the  quick  disposal  of 
disease-causing  sew- 
age. 

All  about  us  in  Chi- 
cago we  see,  evei'y 
day,  if  we  observe 
closely,  some  new  and 
important  steps  being  taken  to  further  this 
world-wide   movement   to   prevent   waste. 


Immediately  After  Great  Chicago  Fire   of  1.S71 — Population  334.270. 


ship  route  ai^ound  the  world,  is  to  be  an  in- 
strument in  the  saving  of  immeasurable 
millions  of  money  in  the  expense  of  carry- 
ing ocean  freights,  besides  saving  years  of 


In  our  homes,  on  the  streets,  in  our  great 
stores  and  factories,  we  see  this  wonderful 
movement  for  economy  and  saving  being 
developed.     Will  a  new  cleaning  process 


16 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


save  work  or  money  in  our  homes  ?  If  so, 
we  adopt  it.  "Will  a  new  pavement  or  sys- 
tem of  cleaning'  in  a  street  be  better  and 
cheaper  than  the  old"?  If  so,  we  have  it 
done.  Can  shavings  or  wood  formerly 
thrown  away  at  a  factory  be  profitably 
made  over  for  nse?  If  so,  waste  of  such 
material  is  stopped.  Elimination  of  waste 
has  become  the  greatest  work  in  the  world. 
Mankind  is  saving.  Economy  has  become 
the  watchword. 

C'di)  Problems  /»  Saving.    Almost  every 
bov  and  girl  todav  knows  something-  of  how 


CHICAGO.     Tremnnt   House.    Corner  Lake   and   Dearborn   Streets,    187.'.— Population   500.000. 


cities  are  maintained;  liuw  lliey  are  kejit 
clean,  with  lighted  streets  making  it  easier 
and  safer  to  go  about ;  with  policemen  and 
firemen  working  to  keep  order  and  protect 
our  homes  from  fire;  with  a  great  health 
department  Imsy  preventing  the  spread  of 
disease ;  and  with  our  schools  kept  open  and 
the  teachers  and  janitors  paid  by  the  peo- 
ple, that  the  children  may  be  educated  and 
prepared  for  their  work  in  life.  The  boys 
and  girls  know  that  these  things  are  pur- 


chased by  use  of  money  jiaid  ))y  all  the  peo- 
ple as  taxes. 

To  almost  every  girl  and  lioy,  then,  it  is 
clear  why  the  people  ask  and  require  that 
tax  money  shall  be  economically  spent.  It 
is  clear  to  all  that  the  more  carefully  money 
is  spent  for  street  cleaning  the  more  clean 
streets  we  will  have ;  that  the  cheaper  lights 
can  be  obtained  for  the  streets  the  better 
will  the  streets  be  lighted  for  the  money 
spent;  that,  in  short,  the  more  waste  of  tax 
money  is  prevented  the  Ijetter  it  will  be  for 
everybody,  and  the  better  our  city's  affairs 

will  be  con- 
ducted. It  be- 
comes  quite 
clear,  there- 
fore, why  the 
movement  for 
economy  a  n  d 
saving  is  be- 
ing applied  to 
city  affairs. 

"\Ylieu  boys 
and  girls  real- 
ize this,  then, 
is  it  not  nat- 
ural for  them 
ill  take  it  to  be 
their  duty  to 
u  n  d  e  r  stand 
these  things 
of  the  i:)res- 
themselves  in 
more    such 


ent  day  and  interest 
this  work  of  saving?  The 
waste  is  prevented  the  less  money  will 
be  needed  for  taxes,  which  means  that 
more  will  be  left  in  each  home  every 
day  or  year  to  Imy  things  which  give  com- 
fort and  pleasure  to  each  family.  This 
thought  is  naturally  followed  in  our  minds 
by  another.  We  ask  ourselves :  If  there  is 
waste  today,  what  can  we  do  to  prevent 
waste  tomorrow  and  in  the  vears  to  come 


MUNICIPAL   ECONOMY 


17 


wlieii  Uiose  who  are  children  now  will  be 
grown  up  and  liave  to  earn  tlie  money  spent 
in  taxes? 

Tliat  question  a.nain  briiij^'s  to  all  our 
minds  the  fact  that  we  are  living  in  Chi- 
cago, fourth  city  of  the  world  in  population, 
and  that  we  therefore  have  a  greater  re- 
sponsibility than  the  people  who  live  in 
little  cities  or  towns.  It  makes  us  feel  im- 
porlant,  as  we  really  are.  Tt  makes  us  feel 
that  we  ought  to  look  closely  to  preventing 
waste  in  the  future  in  this  city.  We  are 
not  satisfied  just  to  think  of  saving  money 
being  spent  this  year  in  Chicago.  We  re- 
member that  our  fathers  thought  of  their 
yeai'ly  needs  and  at  the  same  time  con- 
structed and  managed  the  great  drainage 
canal  for  Chicago  and  to  benefit  us. 

A  Great  Task  for  Chicago.  The  young 
people  of  Chicago,  having  thought  of  these 
things,  and  thinking  how  much  greater 
Chicago  is  today  than  it  was  when  their 
fathers  and  mothers  were  young,  want  to 
join  hands  in  doing  work  to  be  proud  about, 
and  so  make  for  themselves  in  days  to  come 
as  much  fame  as  their  fathers  gained  by 
digging  the  greatest  drainage  canal  in  the 
world.  They  want  to  do  a  work  that  will 
l)e  a  blessing  to  their  children  and  to  all  the 
people  of  Chicago  in  all  the  years  to  come — 
some  such  work  as  the  drainage  canal, 
which  was  built  by  their  fathers  and  is  a 
blessing  to  them  today. 

We  start  out  in  this  idea  for  a  great  work 
for  Chicago  with  two  things  decided.  The 
work  must  be  big  enough  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  whole  world  and  make  peo- 
ple everywhere  admire  us  for  doing  it;  and 
it  must  be  a  work  of  economy,  of  saving 
tiTiie  and  money,  of  increasing  health 
and  happiness,  and  of  bringing  increased 
vrealth  and  prosperity  to  the  Chicago  of 
the  future. 

As  our  city  is  only  our  larger  home,  to 


decide  what  is  the  great  thing  we  are  to 
do  for  Chicago  we  can  take  a  lesson  from 
facts  familial-  to  us  in  oni-  homes.  Each  of 
us  knows  that  at  home  the  first  ste])  to 
economy  is  good  order.  ^Ve  know,  from 
observation,  that  the  wasteful  household  is 
the  one  in  which  the  furniture  is  always 
disarranged  and  in  which  the  rooms  are 
untidy.  We  know  that  waste  and  extrava- 
gance in  the  home  goes  hand  in  hand  with 
disorder.  Imagine  how  time  and  effort 
would  be  wasted  in  our  homes  if  things 
constantly  used  about  the  stove  in  the 
kitchen  should  be  stored  in  the  front  hall, 
if  pianos  should  be  permitted  to  obstruct 
narrow  hallways,  if  our  icelioxes  should  be 
kept  in  attics  and  our  dining  tables  in  the 
sleeping  apartments.  Yet  we  all  know  that 
some  or  all  of  these  absurd  conditions  re- 
sult upon  hurriedly  moving  into  a  house, 
Avitli  consequent  waste,  turmoil,  and  bother 
until  we  manage  to  put  the  house  in  order. 

Now  Chicago,  oiir  larger  household,  is 
today  in  this  state  of  turmoil  from  moving. 
One  of  the  youngest  cities  in  the  world,  we 
have  moved  into  it  so  burriedly  we  have 
not  had  time,  as  yef,  to  set  about  arrang- 
ing it.  Let  us  see  if  this  work  of  arrange- 
ment, of  bringing  good  order  and  conve- 
nience into  our  city  household,  and  of  thus 
rivaling  all  the  cities  in  the  world  in  time- 
saving,  convenience,  and  attractiveness,  is 
the  task  to  which  we  should  bend  our  ener- 
gies. 

We  can  readily  see  that  if  this  work  of 
creating  good  order,  cleanliness  and  beauty 
will  result  in  saving  time,  doing  away  with 
the  smoke  evil,  banishing  unnecessary  noise 
and  dirt,  promoting  good  health,  assuring 
happiness  and  prosi^erity  to  the  millions 
u])on  millions  of  people  yet  to  live  in  and 
visit  Chicago,  it  will  be  a  greater  work  than 
ever  has  been  done  by  any  American  city. 
i\Ioreover,  as  it  will  be  work  done  for  all 


18 


WACKER\S   INIANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


time  to  come,  it  is  much  more  important 
than  any  work  directed  only  to  effecting  a 
saving  in  the  present  expenditures  of  Chi- 
cago. 

We  of  today  are  forced,  by  tlieir  bravery 
and  steadfast  purpose,  to  admire  the  works 
of  tlie  men  and  women  wlio  as  pioneers 
entered  and  settled  our  country.  Also  we 
admire  the  great  scientists  of  the  world 
whose  toil  and  careful  thought  led  to  crea- 
tion of  the  great  things  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion. Here  is  a  chance,  though,  for  us  to 
be  both  pioneers  and  scientists — leaders 
and  workers  in  the  new  and  fascinating 
science  of  city  bi;ilding  on  a  plan  sure  to 
result  in  tremendous  economy  to  millions 
of  people  and  tremendous  fame  for  Chicago 
and  for  the  men  and  women  who  share  in 
the  work  of  making  Chicago  a  truly  great, 
convenient,  healthfi;l  and  beautiful  city  by 
encouraging  and  develoinng  the  "Plan  of 
Chicago. ' ' 

1.  What  is  happi  iiinij  all  art  r  the  world  at  tliis 

period  ! 

2.  What  is  operating  more  strongly  today  than 

ever  before  in  the  history  of  man? 

3.  Name  three  things  created,  by  the  movement 

of  mankind  to  congregate  in  cities. 

4.  By  what  has  the  growth  of  cities  been  pre- 

ceded? 

5.  What  has  eom(  to  the  people  with  increased 

power  in  cities? 


a.   Whire  dots  Vhieago  stand  with  the  world's 

large  cities  in  point  of  population? 
7.  State    tivo    things    Henry   Drnmmond   said 

about  cities. 
.9.   Wliat  is  the  old  saying  about  a  penny? 
9.  What  have  we  been  forced  to  realize  in  the 
growth  of  cities? 
10.   Why  nuist  u'c  b<  saving  of  food  products  in 

cities? 
Jl.   What  has  be<  n  undertahen  in  cities  to  save 

lives? 
12.  To  ivhat  were  the  best  efforts  of  mankind,  de- 
voted before  the  growth  of  cities? 
1.3.   What  is  it  that  the  best  minds  and  greatest 
efforts  are  bent  on  today? 

14.  State  the  first  three  things  of  which  our  cities 

are  demanding  the  conservation, 
l.'i.   What  is  the  first  thing  the  Panama  Canal 

is  destined  to  do? 
111.   M^hat  saving  will  the  Panama  Canal  effect? 
17.   What  icas  intendeel  by  the  construction  of 

Chicago's  drainage  caiial? 

15.  What  did  the  building  of  the  drainage  canal 

do  for  the  people  of  Chicago? 
l!>.  Wlidf  two  things  are  decided  in  starting  now 
a  great  work  for  Chicago? 

20.  What  is  the  first  step  to  good  order  in  the 

home? 

21.  What  is  it  that  goes  hand  in  hand  witli  di.'S- 

order  in  the  home? 

22.  What  is  it  that  is  our  larger  home? 

23.  How  have  ive  moved  into  Chicago,  our  larger 

household? 

24.  Name  a  science  that  is  new  and  fascinating. 

25.  How  can  we  make  Chicago  a  truly  great, 

convenient,  healthful  and  beautiful  city? 


THE    BASIS   FOR   CITV    I'LANNING 


19 


CHAPTEK  11 


THE  BASIS  FOR  CITY 
PLANNING 

Before  undertaking  any  important  task 
all  careful  persons  first  review  in  their 
minds  tlie  facts  tliat  make  tlie  task  neces- 
sary, the  reasons  it  sliould  be  (hnie  at  once 


founding  of  Chicago  as  an  outjiost  of  oiu' 
nation  with  the  l)nihling  of  Fort  Dearborn 
ill  1S()4,  and  the  incorporation  of  the  city 
in  is;!7,  achling  tliat  the  city's  growth  has 
been  the  wonder  of  the  worhi,  thei-e  is  little 
in  history  as  usually  written  to  show  Chi- 
cago's real  importance  as  a  center  of  activ 
ity  from  earliest  times.  It  is  a  fact  of  im- 
]iortance  that  Chicago,  as  far  back  as  the 
jnost  earnest  research  has  been  able  to  dis- 


f 


k 


„    »^¥«»*' 


*3 


9 


i- 


CHICAGO.  Michigan  Avenue  looking  towards  tlie  South.  Proposed  double  roadway  running  to  a  plaza 
at  its  intersection  with  Twelfth  Street  and  a  suggestion  for  buildings  to  surround  the  place,  including 
re-arrangement  of  the  Twelftli  Street  railway  station, 

[Copyrighted  by  tlie    Commercial    Cluli-l 


if  promptness  of  action  is  needed  for  best 
results,  and  all  important  elements  affect- 
ing the  plan  for  the  work  at  hand.  Lot  us. 
then,  turn  our  minds  to  that  jjreliminary 
study  as  related  to  the  future  of  Chicago. 
That  makes  necessary,  of  course,  brief  no- 
tice of  Chicago's  past,  thoughtful  consider- 
ation of  Chicago's  present,  and  deep  elTort 
to  foresee  Chicago's  future. 

"Wliile  moclern  liistorv  relates  to  us  the 


close,  has  been  a  center  of  trade  and  com- 
merce. 

Every  Indian  tribe  in  the  entire  ]ilains 
country,  living  at  the  headwaters  of  the 
IMississippi  and  Missouri  rivers,  far  up  in 
the  Canadian  northwest,  in  Ontario  at  the 
northeast,  and  throughout  Wisconsin, 
iMichigan,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  INFis- 
souri,  and  all  the  Mississippi  Valley  states 
knew  of  Chicago  as  a  gathering  and  trading 


20 


WACKERS    MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OP   CHICAGO 


place  of  all  the  tribes.  FiXMjueiit  meetings 
of  the  various  tribes  were  held  here.  Broad, 
■R-ell-trayeled  trails   led  into  the   country 


"J  The    FiiM    I. live  in  Chicago.  1S4S. 

roundabout  in  every  direction  from  Chi- 
cago. 

Some  of  these  Indian  trails,  running  in 
straight  lines  from  the  mouth 
of  Chicago  river,  became 
farmers'  roadways  upon  the 
settlement  of  the  territory 
roundabout  Chicago,  and 
with  the  growth  of  the  city 
were  developed  into  some  of 
our  most  important  streets. 
Thus  it  is  seen  that  even  the 
savage  jieoples  inhabiting  the  country  for 
centuries  before  the  advent  of  the  white 
man  recognized  in  Chicago's  location  a  nat- 
ural center  for  the  activities  of  man. 


domain  ta)nt rolled  for  commerce  and  trade 
liy  Chicago  is  larger  than  Germany  or 
France.  Part  of  this  territory  is  bounded 
by  three  thousand  miles  of  navi- 
ga1)le  waters.  It  is  pierced  by 
rivers  flowing  into  the  Great 
Lakes,  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Ohio.  The  land  in  the  territory 
is  practically  all  arable,  and  able 
to  support  an  enormous  popula- 
tion. The  land  is  level,  making 
the  building  of  railroads  and 
'•anals  easy.  Earth  and  forest 
ihroughout  this  vast  domain  yield  an 
abundant  and  great  variety  of  ])roducts 
niton  wliich  traffic  thrives  and  trade  grows 

'    wealthy. 

These 
con  ditions 
go  far  to  re- 
m  o  V  e  any 
wonder  that 
develop- 
ment  of  this 
t  e  r  r  i  t  ory 
has  lieen  marvelonsly  rajtid,  or  that  a 
powerful  city  has  been  built  at  this  far 
inland  point  where  land  and  water  trans- 
portation  meet.     It  was   by   these   condi- 


rr  ff  frff"rrfr  r 


( 'lii^ai;o's  I-'irst  Passenger  Coach. 


Modern  Stool  Raih-oad  Train,   IMl. 


No  section  of  our  country,  except  N(>w 
England,  has  so  clear  and  distinct  a  history 
as  the  territory  centering  at  Chicago.    The 


tions  that  Chicago  grew  in  the  last  fifty 
years  of  the  past  century  from  a  city  of 
thirty  thousand  to  one  of  two  million  pec- 


THE    BASIS    FOR   CITY    PLANNING 


21 


pie,  and  that  despite  a  fire  wliicli  in  1871 
destroyed  most  of  the  city  with  a  money 
loss  of  $190,000,000. 

Today  all  indications  point  to  continued 
gains  in  population  for  Chicago.  The 
facts  are. 
that  with  a 
p  o  pnlation 
of  2,:2oO,000, 
Chicago  is 
g  a  i  ning  at 
the  rate  in 
excess  of 
65,000  per- 
sons yearly. 
The  ele- 
ments mak- 


and    mighty 
Ijalities. 


anion"'    her    sister    nuiiiici- 


Thoughtt 


Chicago's  First  Railroad  Depot. 


ul  pO(ii)lo,  studying  even  the 
one  phase  of  congestion  in  Chicago's 
streets,  are  apiialled  at  the  waste  of  time, 

st  rengt  h  and  money 
involved.  The  y 
stagger  at  the  toll 
of  lives  taken  by 
disease  when  san- 
ilar}'  precautions 
are  neglected.  We 
are  all  distressed  at 
the  out  1)  r  e  a  k  s 
against  law  and 
order  which  scien- 
tists assure  us  re- 


ing  for  greatness  of  the  city  are  tried  past 
all  doubt,  are  assuredly  permanent,  and 
men  know  they  may  now  build  confidently 
for  a  future  secured  to  Chicago  by 
the  combined  forces  of  nature  and 
humanit}-.  No  city  in  the  world  can 
l)nild  houses  for  its  people  so  cheaply 
or  find  employment  for  them  so  well  as 
Chicau'o. 

The  inflow  of  people  to  Chicago  has  been 

so    rapid,    the     ^ 

growth  of  the  city 
so  marvelous,  that 
no  time  has  been 
had  to  plan  for 
proper  and  e  c  o  - 
nomical  disposition 
of  the  population. 
Tt  has  been  a  mat- 
ter of  hard  and 
fast  work  to  erect 

shelters  for  the  peo])le  and  buildings  in 
which  to  employ  them.  But  now,  with  the 
growth  of  the  sentiment  for  saving  and 
good  order  in  cities,  Chicago's  people  are 
taking  hold  of  new  ]ir()l)lems  to  be  solved 
if  the  city  is  to  continue  safe,  prosperous. 


suit  solely  from  narrow  and  pleasureless 
li\'es  of  our  people. 

And  so,  today,  we  are  no  longer  first 
interested  in  the  growth  and  size  of  Chi- 
cago. How  are  we  living?  we  ask.  Are 
we  making  right  use  of  our  opportunities? 
Is  Chicago  a  convenient  place  for  business? 
Are  its  people  comfortably  housed?  Will 
our  future  jieople  be  alile  to  stand  the  ner- 
vous  strain   of  city  life?    If  we  acquire 

wealth,  will 
we  have  to 
g  o  else- 
where to 
e  n  j  0  y  the 
fruits  of 
i  n  d  e  p  e  n- 
d  e  n  c  e  ? 
Ought  not 
our  city  to 
grow  better 
can  we  do  to 


f  jif  :rrrrfrrf^ 


$20,000,000  Nortliwestern  Pas.sengor  Station,  Opened  1911. 

Wha 


as  it  grows  bigger  ? 
make  it  better? 

We  of  Chicago  are  today  face  to  face 
with  the  fact  that  fifty  years  from  now, 
when  the  children  of  today  are  at  the 
height  of  tlicii'  power,  our  citv  will  Ix-  laiger 


22 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


than  London,  having  more  people  than  any 
city  on  earth  today.  It  has  been  estimated 
by  a  street  car  transportation  expert  of 
Chicago,  that  if  conditions  here  and  in  the 
conntry  abont  ns  continne  in  the  future  as 
in  the  past  Chicago  will  have  13,500,000 
people  in  1952. 

Most  school  children  know  that  a  large 
area  of  land  in  the  northwest  and  in  Can- 
ada not  previously  cultivated  is  at  this  time 
being  made  into  homesteads  by  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  farmers.  This  means  that 
Chicago  is  to  be  the  great  market  place 
for  these  people,  the  great  center  whence 
will  go  the  machinery,  clothing,  foodstuffs, 
and  other  supplies  for  this  extending  civili- 
zation. 

Most  school  children  know,  too,  that  by 
building  irrigation  works  and  canals  our 
government  is  opening  to  settlement  mil- 
lions of  acres  of  rich  land  which  farmers 
have  not  been  able  to  settle  upon  in  the 
past  because  of  its  dry  and  arid  condition. 
This,  too,  means  growth  for  Chicago  in 
trade,  manufacturing,  and  wealth. 

Another  factor  promising  to  build  up 
Chicago  is  the  opening  of  the  Panama 
canal,  which  is  to  be  completed  and  opened 
to  the  world's  commerce  in  1915.  This 
event  will  certainly  be  followed  by  an  inten- 
sive development  of  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
by  the  addition  of  millions  to  the  popula- 
tion there,  and  by  consequent  increase  in 
the  population  and  business  of  Chicago. 

Tills  world  commerce  is  to  be  a  heritage 
to  the  school  children  of  Chicago  today.  It 
will  be  left  to  them  to  develop  bj'  the  men 
and  women  who  have  that  task  in  hand  in 
the  ];)resent  years.  To  them,  also,  must  be 
left  tlie  solution  of  all  the  problems  of  city 
building,  and  they  must  answer  all  the 
questions  on  the  future  condition  of  their 
city.  These  facts  show  how  important  it  is 
that  all  the  children  who  now  are  old  enough 


to  understand  their  responsibility  shall 
carefully  study  conditions  today  and  make 
nj)  their  minds  to  faithfully  carry  out  their 
duties  to  themselves,  to  the  children  of 
the  future,  and  to  our  well-loved  city,  Chi- 
cago. 

It  is  certain  that  Chicago  is  to  continue 
to  remain  one  of  the  greatest  cities  on  earth. 
It  is  probable  that  Chicago  will  become  the 
world's  metrojtolis.  It  is  the  duty  of  her 
children  to  look  ahead  and  plan  for  this 
future  of  Chicago,  watchfully  guarding 
Chicago's  rights,  hopefully  working  to 
build  Chicago  on  a  plan  that  will  make  cer- 
tain their  city's  development  into  the  most 
convenient,  beautiful,  healthful,  and  at- 
tractive city  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
By  doing  this  the  children  of  Chicago  today 
can  in  future  years  gain  for  their  city  and 
themselves  a  fame  as  wide  as  the  world 
itself  and  as  undying  as  the  gratitude  of 
their  children  of  a  hundred  generations. 

1.  Wliat  do  careful  persons  clo  before  under- 

taking any  important  task? 

2.  What  preliminary  stuely  is  necessary  as  re- 

lated to  the  future  of  Chicago f 

3.  In  what  year  was  Fort  Dearborn  built? 

4.  In  what  year  tt'as  Chicago  incorporated  as 

a  city? 

5.  What  has  Chicago  cdways  been  as  disclosed 

by  the  ablest  research? 
f).  Name  the  states  and  territories  from  which 
early  Indian  tribes  knew  of  Chicago  as  a 
trading  place  of  all  the  tribes. 

7.  What  did  the  savage  peoples  inhabiting  the 

country  for  centuries  recognize  in   Chi- 
cago's location? 

8.  The  domain  controlled  for  commerce  and 

trade  by  Chicago  is  larger  than  tvhat  two 
foreign  countries? 

9.  How  many  mUes  of  navigable  tvaters  bound 

this  Urritory? 

10.  Wliy  is  it  easy  to  build  railroads  and  canals 

through    the   territory  surrounding   Chi- 
cago ? 

11.  What  caused  Chicago  to  grow  in  fifty  years 

from  a  city  of  thirty  thousand  to  one  of 
more  than  two  mdlion  people? 


THE  BASIS  FOR   CITY    PLANNING 


23 


hr 


12.  ^yhat    trns   tin    luss   of   tin    Chicdiid  jin    in 

1871  f 

13.  What  is  Chicago  gainiiuj  nmrlji  in  popula- 

tion f 

■14.  Why   has    no    time   been   had   to   plan    f 
proper  anel  economical  disposition  of  11, 
population  of  Chicago f 

15.  Whij   is   Chicago    now  taking   hold   of   nitc 

probUms  for  saving  and  good  order 'F 

16.  At    wliat    arc    thoughtful    people    appalled 

wh(  n    studying   one   phase   of  eongistimi 
in  Chicago's  streets f 

17.  What  do  the  scientists  tell  us  arc  the  results 

of   n<n-roiv  and  pleasureless  lives  of  our 
people  f 


18.  What  are  tlie  questions  Chieagoans  are  now 
asking  themselves  to  replace  the  no  longer 
first  interest  in  growth  and  size? 

UK  What  is  it  estimated  that  the  population  of 
Chicago  will  be  in  19.'i2'' 

2(1.  Shih  lhr<e  reasons  for  llu  future  gnnclli  of 
Chicago. 

21.  Slate  two  reasons  why  if  is  iniporlaul  lluil 

children  who  are  old  enough  should  care- 
fully study  Chicago  conditions  today. 

22.  Give   three  reasons   why   it  is   the   duty  of 

chUdrcn  to  tool;  ahead  and  plan  for  the 
future  of  Chicago. 
2o.  WJiat  ivill   the   children  of  Chicago   today 
gain  for  tlieir  future  and  tliims(lv(s  tiy 
walclt fully  guarding  Chicago's  riglitsf 


24 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  III 


POSSIBILITIES  OF  EXPAN- 
SION 

Three  great  factors  may  be  said  to  con- 
trol the  destinies  of  our  modern  cities,  so 
far  as  growth  in  population  is  concerned. 


easily  and  cheaply  handled.  In  all  these 
tliree  elements  Chicago  is  equaled  by  no 
other  city  in  existence. 


Passenger  Steamer  Entei-ingr  Ciiicas;o  River. 

The  first  is  the  extent  of  rich  and  populous 

territory   into 

which   t  h  e  i  r 

trade    and 

commerce  can 

be      extended. 

The  second  is 

the  supply  of 

raw  materials 

near   at  hand 

for  feeding 

and    housing 

their   people 

and  for  use  in 

m  a  n  u  f  actur- 

i  n  g  products 

to  be  sold  in 

the    tributary 

territory.  The 

third     is     the 


Mouth  of  Chicago  River. 

The  richness  and  resouxces  of  the  vast 
territory  lying  about  Chicago  is  known  to 
every  school  child.  The  wide  prairies  to 
the  south,  west,  and  northwest  produce 
corn,  wheat,  and  oats.  We  have  the  cheap 
and  abundant  coal  from  the  mines  of  In- 


Shipping  in  Cliicago  River. 


extent  of  the  railway  and  water  transporta- 
tion facilities  bv  wliich  commerce  mav  be 


diana  and  Illinois ;  the  copper  and  iron  from 
Michigan   and   Minnesota ;   the   zinc   from 


POSSIBILITIES    OF    EXPANSION 


23 


Missouri  and  "Wisconsin;  the  fruits  and 
vegetables  from  Michigan;  food  products 
of  every  sort 
come  to  us  from 
every  <lireotion 
round  aljont. 

At  the  western 
edge  of  Cliicago, 
almost  -n-itliin 
the  present  city, 
we  have  nnlini- 
ited  supplies  of 
stone,  TT  h  i  ell , 
c  r  u  s  li  e  d  a  n  d 
mixed  witli  t!ie 
cement  iiroduced 
l)y  mills  within 
the  city  itself 
gives    ns    cheap 

houses  of  enduring  concrete.  Brick  we 
make  from  the  clay  nnderlying  our  city  on 
every  side.    Lumber  comes  to  us  by  lake 


Logging  in   Minnesota. 


fi'oiu  the  forests  of  the  north.    Steel  for  our 
luiildiugs  we  produce  from  the  iron  l)()rne 

to  us  liy  water 
from  the  noi'th- 
ern  mines. 

Finally,  tiii'n- 
ing  to  transpor- 
tation, we  find 
Chicago  already 
the  greatest  rail- 
Avay  center  in  ths 
world.  Double- 
ti-acked  steel 
Iiighways  stretch 
in  every  direc- 
t  ion  i)ossible, 
running  to  the 
Pacific  on  one 
hand  and  the  At- 
lantic on  the  other,  skirting  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  These 
railways  draw  to  Chicago  an  ever  increas- 


Grand   Crossing-.    Cliicago,    Showing   a   Section  of  Chicagro  as  a  Great  Railway  Center. 
[Note:     Since     this     pliotograph     was    taken,    these   various   tracks   have    been   elevated    at   great   cost    In    order   to 
eliminate  dangerous  grade   crossings.] 


26 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OP  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


ing  trade.  Magnifioeut  steamships  enter 
and  pass  out  of  our  river,  and  from  our 
harbors  carry  their  great  burdens  through 
liundreds  of  miles  of  lake  and  river  water- 


Thrilling,  indeed,  is  the  story  of  man  in 
his  building  of  cities,  but  no  more  striking 
chapter  in  the  story  can  everbe  told  than 
that  of  the  upbuilding  of  mighty  Chicago, 


RoapiiiL,'    Wheat    in    North    iLikMia. 


coni'ses.  And  now  we  are  on  the  verge  of 
a  new  development  of  water  traffic.  People 
of  Illinois  have  voted  to  expend  $20,000,000 


reaching  out  through  times  of  peace  and 
war  in  the  commercial  domination  of  the 
wide  empire  surrounding  her. 


—        ^    Tito  m  ^--~-«.^»aM 


Cattle  Range  In  Nebraska. 


in  beginning  the  development  of  water  com- 
merce across  the  state  by  way  of  the  drain- 
age canal  and  the  Illinois  river,  intending 


In  ancient  times,  when  tribes  and  nations 
were  constantly  at  war,  city  growth  was 
limited   by    the    possibilities    of    defense. 


Farming  Country  in  Illinois. 


to  connect  the  traffic  of  the  lakes  with  that 
of  tlie  Mississippi  river  and  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico. 


Cities  then  were  built  upon  islands,  where 
the  surrounding  water  would  impede  the 
approach  and  operations  of  any  attacking 


FOSSIBILITIES   OF  EXPANSION 


27 


or  besieging  I'oroe,  or  upon  liigli  places 
abounding  in  stones,  of  which  walls  could 
be  built  to  protect  the  city  from  attack  and 
enable  its  people  to  repel  invaders.  It  was 
only  when  a 
nation  be- 
came very 
strong  in 
numbers  that 
its  people 
dared  build 
t  h  e  i  r  cities 
11  p  o  n  open 
plains  or  in  a 
position  easy 
of  attack  by 
opposing 
armies. 

Later, 
when  by  co- 
operative ef- 
fort various  tribes  in  different  parts  of  the 
old  world  were  drawn  together  in  one 
government,  and  the  building  of  larger 
cities  was  attempted,  mankind  learned  that 


as  water  transportation  was  the  only  means 
of  conveying  merchandise  in  (puintities,  the 
great  cities  were  all  built  as  ports  upon  the 
water.    The  most  extensive  business  being 

u  p  on  the 
seas,  the 
larger  num- 
ber of  domi- 
nant cities 
were  s  e  a  - 
ports. 

As  the  sea- 
ports attract- 
ed commerce 
and  a;vevi-  in 
p  o  p  u  lation 
a  n  d  wealth, 
the}^  became, 
n  a  t  u  r  a  lly, 
the  seats  of 
g  o  vernment 
of  the  various  nations.  Kings  and  emper- 
ors were  attracted  there,  and  established 
their  courts  in  these  cities,  whence  they 
could  easilv  send  out  their  armies  bv  water 


'a  I  AliiT-  in  Illinois. 


Flour  Mills  and  Klevators  in  Wisconsin. 


cities  were  peculiarly  the  creatures  of 
transportation.  To  grow  great  it  was 
necessary  that  they  be  accessible  for  travel 
and  trade  from  long  distances.    Naturallv, 


anil   also  most  easily  rule   their  peoples 
under  their  various  codes  of  ci\i]  law. 

As  growth  of  the  nations  brought  greater 
security  to  them,  the  seaports  waned  in 


28 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


i'Lacli  OrLhard  in  Alichigun. 


importance.  New  centers  of  government 
and  trade  were  established  upon  the  great 
rivers,  that 
the  rulers 
and  mer- 
chants might 
be  in  closer 
contact  witli 
larger  num- 
bers of  peo- 
ple. Some  of 
these  new 
cities,  and 
the  ones  which  today  remain  the  most 
populous  and  powerful,  were  open  to  com- 
merce from  the  sea 
for  all  the  craft  of 
those  days.  The  peo- 
ple sought  the  ad 
vantages  of  inland 
location,  but  could 
not  relinquish  their 
needed  water  trans- 
portation. 

Examples  of  world 
renowned  cities  thus 
constructed  by  early  peoples  include  Eome 
built  fifteen  miles  up  from  the  Mediter- 
ranean   Sea    upon    the    Tibei-    , 

river;  Paris,  built  upon  the  I 
Seine  river  near  its  juncture 
with  the  ]\Iarne,  ninety  miles 
in  a  straight  line  from  the  Eng- 
lish channel ;  and  London,  built 
upon  the  Thames  river,  about 
fifty  miles  from  its  mouth. 
These  cities,  owing  to  their 
position  inland  being  joined 
with  their  water  transporta- 
tion, have  always  been  centers 
of  government  and  held  leader- 
ship in  commerce,  and  so  are 
today  the  capitals  of  Italy,  France, 
England. 


South  Water  Street.  Chicago 


As  nations  grew  and  developed  the  inte- 
rior of  their  countries  the  growth  of  popu- 
lation has  ever  been  inland.     Com- 
merce, an  instrument  of  the  people 
in  civilization,  followed  this  inland 
movement.     The  greatest  force  in 
this  de\'elopment  has  been  the  rail- 
road, which  in  the  last  seventy  years 
has  changed  the  course  of  trade  and 
commerce  in  all  countries  and  de- 
veloped   tlie   interior  lands   every- 
where to  a  degree  impossible  before 
the  era  of  steam  power. 
Paris   and  London  have  become   great 
railway  centers.    The  railway,  too,  has  de- 
veloped   that    other 
magnificent  E  u  r  o  - 
pean  city,  Berlin,  to 
l^roportions    beyond 
the  dreams  of  peo- 
ple   of    a    hundi'ed 
years    ago.      Berlin 
has     grown,     under 
the    magic    of    rail 
transportation,  with 
a  rapidity  as  great 
as  Chicago.     The  two  cities  are  today  al- 
most equal  in  population.     The 


and 


Apple  Orcliard  iri  Michigan. 

has    been    the    chief 
upbuilding    of   every 


greatest 
growth  o  n 
e  a  r  t  h  h  a  s 
been  in  the 
interior  of 
our  country 
because  we 
adopted  the 
railway  ear- 
liest and  de- 
^'  e  1  0  ])  e  (1  it 
quickest  to 
its  highest 
effi  c  i  e  n  c  y. 
The  railway 
instrument  in  the 
city    in    this    coun- 


POSSIBILITIES    OF   EXPANSION 


29 


try,  for  even  in  our  seajiorts  modern  trade 
would  lanyuish  autl  die  were  it  not  for  tlie 
constant  tiow  of  commerce  through  them 
by  means  of  the  railway  systems. 

Until  the  advent  of  the  railroad,  witli  its 
power  of  quickly  moving  large  quantities 
of  freight  and  large  numl)ers  of  ])eople, 
time  had  mnch  to  do  with  the  Ijuilding  of 
cities.  Commerce  moved  slowly.  Trade 
increased  only  as  slow  moving  sailing  ships 
were  able  to  traverse  wide  bodies  of  water 
and  develop  friendly  relations  between  dis- 
tant nations.  Merchants,  even  in  times  of 
lieace,  were  able  to  extend  tlieir  business 
only  after  much  time  had  been  consumed 
in  inquiries  as  to  ti"ade  conditions  and  the 
moving  of  merchandise. 

But  with  the  railroad  all  business  was 
stimulated  and  quickened  into  activity. 
The  mails  carried  letters  in  a  few  liours 
that  couriers  or  ships  formerly  required 
days  to  deliver.  A  few  years  of  this  awak- 
ening, and  another  boon  to  commerce  came 
in  the  invention  of  the  telegrai^h,  quickly 
followed  by  the  telephone.  Dee\)  sea  cables 
then  came  to  link  all  nations  together,  and 
in  a  few  short  years  the  foundations  of  our 
in-esent  world  conmierce  were  deeply  laid. 
Recently  the  wireless  telegraph  was  added 
to  the  agencies  of  commerce.  Later  still 
came  the  aeroplane.  Wliat  tomorrow  may 
bring  to  aid  man  in  his  development  of  na- 
tions and  the  expansion  of  cities  no  man 
can  tell. 

It  is  tlie  dominance  of  the  railroad  ovei- 
the  affairs  of  mankind  that  enabled  Chi- 
cago, in  seventy-five  years,  to  gain  a  popu- 
lation exceeding  two  millions,  while  Greater 
New  York  made  up  of  several  cities  in  ex- 
istence nearly  three  hundred  years,  and  the 
central  city  of  a  territory  having  populous 
cities  for  the  same  period,  has  about  four 
and  one-half  millions.  Our  leading  cities, 
of  course,  are  all  monsters  in  population. 


liowcr,  ;unl  wealtli,  as  (•omi)ared  with  ohl- 
world  cities  in  point  of  age. 

Ii(in(h)n  is  probably  more  than  2,500 
>  ears  old.  It  was  an  ancient  city  of  Britain 
when  the  Eomans  resettled  it  in  43  A.  D. 
Paris  is  more  tlian  2,000  years  old,  and  was 
an  ancient  cai)ital  when  conquered  by  the 
Bomans  in  292  A.  D.  Bome  is  nearly  2,650 
years  old.  As  near  as  can  be  determined  it 
was  founded  753  B.  C.  SI.  Petei'sburg  and 
Berlin  are  the  youngest  capital  cities  of  the 
leading  European  nations.  The  former 
was  established  in  1703,  and  the  latter  was 
settled  in  the  13th  century.  Botli  are  in- 
land cities,  and  have  grown  tremendously 
since  the  advent  of  the  railroad  to  the 
forces  of  civilization. 

"Westward  the  star  of  empire  takes  its 
Avay,"  is  a  quotation  familiar  to  all  of  us. 
It  expresses  in  a  few  words  the  historj^  of 
the  world  and  its  great  nations.  In  times 
of  antiquity  the  centers  of  civilization,  of 
commerce,  trade,  and  population  were  in 
Asia  and  Africa  to  the  east  and  south  of 
the  Mediterranean  sea.  Tyre,  Sidon,  Baby- 
lon, and  Nineveh  were  the  Asian  cities  hold- 
ing primacy  over  their  myriads  of  people, 
while  ]\remphis  and  Thebes  were  the  popu- 
lous centers  of  Egyptian  life  in  the  era  pre- 
ceding the  birth  of  Christ  by  thousands  of 
years.  "Westward  to  Greece  went  the  scep- 
ter of  dominion,  and  still  westward  to 
Bome.  Finally,  ever  westward,  the  sway  of 
the  world-power  was  bestowed  upon  the 
countries  of  western  Europe,  and  during 
tlie  last  half  century  the  world  has  been 
startled  and  amazed  at  the  growth  in  jDopn- 
lation,  wealth,  and  power  of  our  own 
American  nation. 

Tlie  westward  trend  of  pojudation  and 
]iower  in  the  world  during  centuries  has 
l)een  ecpuilly  true  in  our  country  itself 
throughout  its  history  under  the  dominion 
of  civilized  man.    Every  ten  years  a  cen- 


30 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


sus  is  taken  in  the  United  States,  and  at 
every  census  the  center  of  population  has 
ap]ieared  to  be  farther  westward.  The 
center  now  is  in  Indiana,  which  makes  Chi- 
cago truly  the  great  central  city  of  the 
country. 

Within  the  last  few  years  a  great  change 
has  come  in  the  methods  of  settling  and 
cultivating  our  agricultural  areas  which  is 
operating  to  retard  the  westward  move- 
ment of  the  American  center  of  popula- 
tion, and  which  assures  that  Chicago  will 
remain  for  many  years  the  central  city  of 
the  nation.  It  was  formerly  the  custom 
to  operate  large  farms,  sowing  and  harvest- 
ing grain  crops.  This  has  proven  a  waste- 
ful sj'stem,  as  it  weakens  the  soil  by  taking 
from  it  elements  of  fertility.  We  are  chang- 
ing, therefore,  to  a  system  of  smaller  farms 
upon  which  we  are  producing  a  variety  of 
crops.  This  system  is  fast  multiplying  in 
the  middle  west  the  number  of  people  work- 
ing upon  farms,  and  so  increasing  the  num- 
bers having  trade  and  commercial  relations 
with  Chicago. 

We  have,  then,  to  assure  the  expansion 
of  Chicago  in  trade  and  power,  a  city  set 
in  the  center  of  the  largest  and  richest  cen- 
tralized territory  on  earth.  We  have  a  city 
where  commerce  flows  to  and  fro  by  water 
and  rail  with  an  ease  and  economy  un- 
matched by  any  city  in  the  world.  We 
have  imlimited  room  for  growth  of  this 
city,  and  unlimited  supplies  of  cheap  build- 
ing material.  We  have  all  forces  known 
working  to  promote  Chicago's  interests, 
to  increase  Chifago's  commerce  and  to 
extend  the  trade  of  her  merchants  and 
manufacturers.  We  can  well  see,  there- 
fore, that  Chicago  will  go  forward,  and 
how  her  two  millions  of  today  may  be  mul- 
tiplied many  times  in  from  thirty  to  fifty 
years. 

Seeing  this,  and  understanding  the  condi- 


tions that  are  giving  Chicago  this  oppor- 
tunity to  become  probably  the  largest  city 
of  the  world,  we  can  all  clearly  see  that  it 
is  our  duty  to  aid  in  this  city  building  work, 
and  to  arrange,  if  we  can,  that  as  Chicago 
grows  into  the  largest  it  shall  also  grow  to 
be  the  best-ordered,  most  convenient,  and 
most  attractive  city  ever  governed  by  man- 
kind. 

1.  In  wliat  three  elements  is  Chicago  equalled 

by  no  other  city  in  existence? 

2.  What  is  it  that  is  known  to  every  svitool 

chikU 

3.  Name  the  resources  near  Chicago  and  state 

where  they  come  from. 

1.  Of  what  is  Chicago  the  greatest  center  in 
th(   world? 

5.  Describe  transportation  of  Chicago  river  and 

harbors. 

6.  What  is  the  strihing  chapter  in  the  story  of 

man  in  Itis  building  of  cities? 

7.  Why  in  early  times  were  great  cities  built 

as  ports  upon  the  water? 

S.  When  the  building  of  large  cities  was  at- 
tempted, ichat  did  mankind  learn? 

9.  As  seaports  attracted  commerce  and  grew 
in  population,  what  did  they  become? 

10.  As  growth  of  the   nations  brought  gnater 

security  to  the  seaports  what  happened  to 
them? 

11.  Win/  were  new  centers  of  government  and 

trade  established  upon  the  great  rivers? 

12.  Name  and  locate  three  large  cities  built  in- 

land on  rivers. 

13.  What  has  the  radrnad  done  in  the  past  sev- 

I  nty  ytarsf 

14.  Why  has  tlir  growth   of  tin    interior  of  our 

country  been  greater   tlian   ani/wJurc  in 
the  tvorld? 

15.  Wlifi  has  the  raUway  been  the  chief  instru- 

ment in   the   upbuilding  of  ivcry  city  in 
this  country? 

16.  Name   the  four  inventions  which    witJi    the 

railroad  aided  man   in    the  development 
of  nations  and  the  expansion  of  cities. 


POSSIBILITIES    OK   EXPANSION 


31 


7~.  Wliat  cuabled  Chicago  l<>  f/iiiii  u  pnpiilaliun 
exceeding  two  iiiillioiis  iit  s(  vcntij-five 
years,  while  New  York,  made  up  from  scv- 
eral  cities,  ejaiixd  but  four  and  a  half 
millions  in  population  in  thni  htimlnd 
years? 

18.  How    old    arc    London,    Paris,    Tioinc    and 

Berlin?    IStalc  in  order. 

19.  What  quotation  expresses  in  a  few   words 

thi    Instory    of   flic    world   and   Us   final 
nalions? 

20.  Where  were  the  centers  of  civilization  and. 

commerce  in  times  of  antiquity? 

21.  What  has  hcen  the  course  of  commerce  and 

trade  westward ? 
33.   What  has  startled  and  amaz<d  tlie  W(jrld  in 
the  last  lialf  century? 


3."i.  Wliat  has  been  shown  (ixry  ten  yiars  wJirn 
the  United  Utatcs  Census  is  lalcen .' 

21.  What  makes  Chicago  actually  tin  gnat  cen- 
tral city  uf  the  country? 

:'.').  Why  may  wc  he  assiir<d  that  Chicago  irill 
riniain  fur  niang  yiars  tlu  ant  rat  idy 
of  the  nation? 

2(i.  Wliy  may  wr  asstin  the  expansion  of  CJii- 
iugo  in  trade  anel  pow< r ? 

27.  What  enables  lis  to  see  that  Chicago  will  go 
forward  and  how  her  two  millions  of  to- 
day matf  be  multiplied  man;/  times  in 
thirty  to  fifty  years? 

2S.  Wheit  ohligation  elocs  Chicago's  opportunity 
to  become  the  largest  city  in  the  world 
involve  upon  us? 


WACKEiiS   MAKIJAL  OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  IV 


CITY  BUILDING  IN  ANCIENT 
TIMES 

In  the  early  history  of  all  nations  two 
conditions  governed  the  location  of  cities. 
First,  they  selected  sites  otTering-  natural 
means   of  defense.     Later,   when  by  the 


These  conditions  re(iuiring  defense  from 
enemies  without  had  much  to  do  with  the 
early  cities  of  America.  The  natural  forti- 
fications around  the  site  of  Quebec  made 
that  city  an  early  center  of  western  civiliza- 
(ion.  New  York  was  an  early  example  of 
an  American  fortitied  town.  Chicago  it- 
self, in  its  infancy,  was  protected  against 
attacks  by  Indians  by  the  high  wooden  ram- 
l)arts  al)out  Fort  Dearl)orn. 


CHICAGO.      View    looking-    West    over    tlie    City    Sliowing    the    Proposed    Civic    Center,    the    Grand 
Axis,  Grant  Park  and  the  Harbor. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


power  of  their  armies  they  were  able  to 
maintain  peace  over  a  broad  area,  and 
when  commerce  was  developed,  men  gath- 
ered together  at  particular  points  favor- 
able to  trade  and  industry,  and  built  for- 
tifications around  them.  It  was  these  lat- 
ter iioints  which  gave  the  world  the  great 
cities  of  ancient  times,  built  at  the  time 
of  the  highest  development  of  peace  and 
civilization  within  the  nations. 


So  it  has  always  l)een  that  only  after  a 
nation  l)Ocame  powerful  could  its  cities  ex- 
tend their  borders  freely,  and  disregard 
the  necessity  of  being  guarded  from  at- 
tacking foes.  The  greatest  of  these  an- 
cient cities,  and  those  whose  works  live  in 
history  as  known  to  all  mankind  today, 
were  laid  out  and  Iniilt  according  to  per- 
fect and  com]ilete  plans,  drawn  by  the  great- 
est arcliitects  of  ancient  times,  and  adopted 


CITY    BUILDING    IX    ANCIENT   TIMES 


33 


and  carried  out  by  city  dwellers  inspired 
by  pride  and  love  for  the  cities  in  which 
tliev  lived. 


jiif^ 


Athens  During"  Si(^g"e  of  the  Venetians. 
Original  drawing'  made  in  1GS7. 


The  ear- 
liest known 
example  of 
a  city  built 
i  n  accord- 
ance with  a 
definite 
plan  was 
B  a  b  y  1  on. 
vS  ingularly, 
perhaps,  it 
was  a  wom- 
a  n  ,  Queen 
S  e  ni  i  r  a  - 
mis,  who  de- 
cided upon 
the  work  of 


Upon  i>lans  produced  by  the  architects  she 
commanded,  tlie  work  of  building  Babylon 
was  begun.  A'ast  armies  of  men  wei'e  om- 
])loyed,  and  before  the  end  of 
lier  reign  a  city  so  magnifi- 
cent and  glorious  was  built 
that  its  fame  has  survived 
thousands  of  years,  although 
the  city  itself  has  disap- 
])eared,  its  ruins  being  cov- 
ered for  scores  of  centui'ies 
by  sands  and  shifting  earth. 

When  ancient  cities  are 
mentioned  we  unconsciously 
think  of  the  famous  city  of 
Athens. 
Here,  also, 
was  a  city 
built  by  a 
nation 
grown  ricli, 
and  enjoy- 
i  n  g  the 
highest  civ- 
i  1  i  z  a  t  i  on 
e  ^'  e  r  a  t  - 
tained  be- 
f  o  1'  e  o  u  r 
own.  The 
Creeks, 
having  con- 
quered   and 


Ancient  City  of  BaViylon. 


I'anorama  of  llotlein  Alliens. 


consti-ncting  ui>on  the  baid<s  of  the  Euphra- 
tes  river  the  greatest   citv  in   tlie  world. 


being  in  control  of  almost  the  wlioh'  world 
as  tlien  known  to  man,  set  ationt,  bnihling 


34 


WACKER'S   MANUAL    OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


Athens  as  their  great  capital  city.     Five 

miles  from  the  sea,  and  upon  high  ground 

where  the  city  could 

be     seen     for     miles 

from  every  direction, 

the}'  b  u  i  1 1  Athens, 

surrounding    it    witli 

high 


walls 


for  pro- 
t  e  c  t  i  0  n  ,  and  also 
building  high  walls 
about  the  broad  way 
connecting  the  capital 
with  its  port,  Pirseus. 
Having  built  the  city 
to  plans  by  t  h  e  i  r 
greatest  architects, 
the  Greeks  called  up- 
on their  great  artists 
and  sculptors  to  dec- 
orate it,  and  their 
skilled  landscape 
gardeners  to  save  for 
it  the  beauties  of  na- 
ture.   The  result  was 


Bust  in  the  \'atican. 


Athens  and  the  Acropolis. 


not  only  to  make  Athens  the  world's  most 
famous  city  of  its  day,  but  to  establish  for 


a  nation  shattered  and  destroj'ed  thousands 
of  years  ago  a  place  in  history  today  as 
high  and  proud  as 
ever  was  attained  by 
any  people. 

The  Greeks  in  the 
building    of    Athens 
had  in   mind   princi- 
pally the  creation  of 
beauty.     Their    aim, 
in  which  they  so  well 
succeeded,  was  to  pro- 
duce from  stone  and 
mortar  a  work  of  art 
which  would  enthrall 
the  world,   and  gain 
for  the  people  of  Ath- 
ens the  world's  trib- 
ute to  beauty  in  archi- 
tecture.    Their    suc- 
cess is  known  to  all  of 
lis  today,  for  we  all 
know  that  when  the 
peoples    of   northern 
Europe 
emerged  from 
the  period  of 
warfare    a  n  d 
d  i  s  r  u  p  t  i  on 
mown  in  his- 
t o r y  as  the 
Dark   Ages, 
and  began  the 
1  u  i  1  d  i  n  g  of 
cities,   the 
world's  archi- 
tects turned 
to  fallen  Ath- 
ens   for   i  n - 
spiration,  and 
we  know  that 
our       m  0  s  t 
are  constructed 


lis.    From  a  JIarble 
Kome. 


beautiful  buildings  toda^ 

along  lines  created  bv  the  Greeks. 


CITY   BUILDING   IN   ANCIENT    TIMES 


35 


Rome   in   the  XlVth   Century. 


The  ideals  governing  the  Greeks  in 
city  planning  were  departed  from  in 
great  de- 
g  r  e  e  when 
the  Romans 
came  to  a 
decision  t  o 
i  ni  p  rove 
a  n  d  l^eau- 
tif y  their 
great  city. 
Rome,  in  its 
early  days, 
was  sqnalid, 
unkempt,ill- 
drained  and 
foul.  It  was 
little  more 
than  the 
headquar- 
t  e  r  s  of  a 

rough,  ambitious,  ever- 
moving  army.  Roman 
warriors,  accustomed  to 
hardships  in  the  field,  ex- 
pected little  luxurj^  at 
home.  But  as  conquest 
brought  wealth,  national 
pride  was  born  to  the  Ro- 
mans. They  wanted  their 
city,  from  which  the  world 
was  governed,  to  stand 
before  the  world  as  the 
embodiment  of  power  and 
magnitieence. 

Mistress  of  the  world, 
le^•J'ing  tribute  of  wealth 
upon  every  nation  sur- 
rounding her,  enslaving 
conquered  peoples  by 
thousands  as  her  victori- 
ous armies  spread  over  the 
globe,  Rome  undertook  to 
make  use  of  the  world's 


riches  in  aggrandizing  herself.  Roman 
emperors,  one  after  another,  took  up  great 
])ublic  works.  The  world's 
ablest  architects  were  called 
upon  for  plans  for  buildings. 
There  was  no  lack  of  wealth 
to  carry  out  the  great  works 
undertaken.  There  was  no 
limit  to  the  su]>ply  of  labor 
to  fulfill  the  broadest  plans 
architects  could  conceive.  If 
men  or  material  were  want- 
ed all  would  be  supplied  by 
the  power  of  the  Roman  ar- 
mies over  the  inhabitants  of 
every  part  of  Europe. 

The  Romans  began  their 
great  city  building  work 
in  the  >•  e  i-  >'  heart  of 
their  c  a  p  i  - 
tal.  Out  of  the 
wide  public 
market  place 
they  evolved  the 
Forum.  T  e  m  - 
p  1  e  s,  treasure 
houses,  senate 
and  court  build- 
ings were  erect- 
ed. Wide  arches 
and  vast  monu- 
m  e  n  t  s  were 
built  al)0ut  this 
civic  center  by 
succeeding  em- 
perors to  com- 
memorate for 
the  people  of 
Rome  the  tri- 
umphs of  suc- 
cessive reigns. 
As  these  great 
m  o  n  u  m  e  ntal 
works  were 


V^^^^^^f^ 

■ 

■1 

K^J^^^^^^W**! 

B^^^l 

^■^^^^^^1 

^^^MQH^ '^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K  «, . 

HH 

R^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\  t  ^ 

J^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^t^ -^^^ 

TSSti 

Kil^^^^^^H 

If^^ 

|Hi 

wr  yiflflHLl 

I 

^ 

I'^^^^^^l 

^^^^^^^^^^B^  } 

m^ 

^^^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^    ^ 

^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^R 

-fljiH 

Augustus    Caesar,    the   Roman  Emperor  and  City  Builder. 


uU 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


done  the  cinperorw,  lo  iniiirove  health  con- 
ditions in  the  crowded  city  and  to  open 
tlie  yreat  linildings  to  view,  began  the 
development  of  a  system  of  wide 
streets. 

Thousands  of  buildings,  which 
had  housed  the  people  in  the  days 
of  Rome's  early  growth,  were  torn 
down.  The  city  was  opened  to  the 
light  and  air.  Parks  and  open 
Slices  were  created  and  beautified. 
The  hills  and  valleys  round  about 
the  city,  formerly  dumping  places 
for  the  city's  refuse,  were  made  into 
magnificent  gardens.  Eomans  of 
wealth,  upon  their  death,  bequeathed 
to  the  city  land  for  parks  and  gar- 
dens or  for  public  buildings.  Ro- 
man youths  were  taught  that  all  they 
enjoyed  in  life  they  owed  to  their 
city,  and  that  true  patriotism  meant 
personal  sacrifice  for  the  good  of  Rome. 

It  is  not,  in  fact,  until  we  come  to  con- 


make  up  the  convenient  and  beautiful  city 
of  today.  Rome  was  the  first  great  city 
built  under  realization  of  the  fact  that  for 


ROME.      Baths   of   Carac: 


sider  the  building  of  Rome,  that  we  meet 
the  chief  elements  of  city  planning  that 


i'aiiurauia  oi   Lhv  lloiiiiiu   Forum. 

a  city  to  thrive  and  survive  in-ovision  must 
be  made  for  good  health  and  convenience 

of  the  people. 
It  is  impossi- 
ble to  say  how 
great  Rome's 
p  0  p  u  1  a  tion 
was  at  its 
greatest  p  e - 
riod.  It  has 
been  closely 
figured  at  1,- 
'630,000  alwut 
15  B.  C,  while 
there  has  been 
e  n  u  merated, 
as  existing  to- 
ward the  close 
of  the  city's 
^  great  career, 
^"'^-  a  n  d    a  b  o  u  t 

three  centuries  after  Christ,  eight  great 
o]ion  spaces  set  apart  for  games  and  gym- 


CITY    BriLDING    IN    ANCIENT    TIIIES 


o( 


iiastic  exereises,  eiglitcou   piililic  .squares, 
and  about  1  liirty  parks  and  gardens.    Man>' 


An  Ancient  Roman  Circus.  Near  tlie  Appian  Way. 


of  1he  parks  had  been  laid  out  by  private 
citizens  for  their  personal  comfort,  but 
afterwards  liecame  city  property 
by  bequest,  purchase  or  confisca- 
tion. Besides  these,  there  were  th? 
many  great  temples,  with  their  col- 
onnades and  fountains,  the  spa- 
cious cemeteries  open  to  the  public, 
tlie  broad  avenues  and  long  shaded 
porticos  expressly  built  tliat  citi- 
zens might  move  about  pleasantly 
in  lint  or  stormy  weatlier.  And 
finally  there  wei'e  the  city's  ex- 
tensive Ijatlis,  which  at  the  height 
of  the  city's  magnificence  had  ac- 
commodations for  62,800  citizens 
at  a  single  time. 

Tt  was  the  devotion  of  the  Ro- 
mans to  Rome's  welfare,  coupled 
with   their   recognition   that    it   was   each 
citizen's   duty  to  help  build   up   a   great. 


hcallhl'ul,    coin'cnieul    and    licauliful    city, 
thai  made  Rome  tlie  most   wonderful  city 

of  all  ages.  It 
w  a  s  because 
itsjieoplewere 
d  e  \'  o  t  e  d  to 
tlicir  city  that 
liiinie  came  to 
l)c  known  as 
the  "Eternal 
City,"  estab- 
ri>hcd  ill  liis- 
tory  with  a 
fame  so  great 
and  enduring 
that  it  cannot 
be  forgotten 
or  blotted 
out  so  long  as 
man  shall  lu- 
ll a  b  i  t  the 
earth. 
So  may  it  be 
with  Chicago  if  her  people  will  it.  Chicago 
has  no  conquering  armies,  as  Rome  had. 


The    -Vrch    of   Constantine.    Rome. 


Her  forces  are  made  uji  of  the  regiments  of 
toilers,  enlisted  in  the  army  of  industry. 


38 


WACKEKS   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


Chicago  levies  no  tribute  ui)ou  lier  prov- 
inces by  force  of  arms,  as  Rome  did.  Her 
tribnte  is  the  more  secure  and  lasting  one 
that  is  paid  will- 
ingly by  the  mil- 
lions in  the  broad 
zone  over  which 
Chicago  holds 
commercial  dom- 
inance, her  reign 
assnred  to  her 
forever  under 
c  0  n  d  i  t  i  ons  of 
peace.  Chicago 's 
opiiortunity  i  s 
not  one  of  build- 
ing a  powerful 
and  magnificent 
city  for  men  of 
future  ages  to 
marvel   at   as    a 

thing  wonderful  even  in  death 
decay,  as  was  Rome's  opportunity, 
way  is  open  for 
t  h  e  people  o  f 
Chicago  to  build 
a  city  as  much 
more  magnifi- 
cent t  h  a  n  an- 
cient Rome  as 
t  h  e  m  0  d  e  r  n 
s  t  e  a  m  s  h  i])  is 
more  commodi- 
ous and  power- 
ful t  h  a  n  t  li  e 
oared  galley  of 
the  ancient  Ro- 
man conqueror, 
and  as  enduring 
as  the  life  of  a 
nation  whose 
policy   of   peace 

is  as  fixed  as  the  very  course  of  the  earth 
about  the  sun. 


Pantheon,    Rome. 


and 
The 


Forum.  Rome. 


Wliiil   Urn  voihIU'uius  governed  tlie  hualion 
(if  cities  in   the  carhj  hist  or  if  of  all   na- 
tions? 
In   what  respects  were  certain  earlij  Amer- 
ican cities 
like      a  n- 
cient  cities? 

3.  What  made 
Quebec  an 
early  center 
of  W  e  s  t- 
ern  civiliza- 
tion? 

4.  Of  IV  hat  was 
New  ¥  0  r  k 
an    early 

example? 

5.  By  wliat  w  as 
('hivago,  in 

'its  infancy, 
p  r  0  t  e  cted 
against  at- 
tacks by  In- 
dians? 

6.  What    enabled 

nnfions     to 
freely  extend  the  borders  of  llieir  cities? 

7.  How  were  the  ancient  cities  wliosc  ivorks  live 

i  n  history 
laid  out? 

8.  N  am  e  the 
earliest 
known  city 
built  in  ac- 
cordance 
with  a  defi- 
nite plan. 

9.  Who  decided 
to  b  u  i  I  d 
Babylon  ac- 
cording     to 

'    a  plan? 

10.  M'liatisknoivn 
<if  the  city 
(if  Babylon 
(IS  liaving 
b((n  built 
by    a    plan? 

11.  Name  the  an- 
ci(nt  city 
which  was 
built  by  a 
nation  hav- 
ing conquered  almost  the  whole  world 
then  known  to  man. 


CITY    BUILDING    IN    ANCIENT    TIMES 


a 'J 


12.   Half  Wds  llii   (iiuii  III  cihj  (if  A/In  iis  hiiill .' 
IS.  After   buildiiif/   A/liiiia    hi    [ilims    Inj    their 

qrcatcxt  an  liil(  (■!.•<,  what  did  llu    (Irceks 

'do.' 
If.   Wliaf  ira.s  IJn    nsidl  <if  jiJainiiufi  and  iuaii- 

lifuiiiy  Alh(ii.'<.' 

15.  ^Yhat  ica.s"  tht  aim  of  Ihr  (Inil.s  in  hiiildimi 

A  flu  lis.' 

16.  How    in  II   did   Ihr   liiiUdi  ra  of  AIJuiis  siiv- 

ccid  ill   thiir  cherished  desire/ 

17.  Describe  Rome  in  its  early  days. 

18.  YVhat  (lid  conquest  bring  to  Rome? 

19.  ^Vhat  did  the  Romans  want  irh<  n  thiij  had 

attained  power/ 

20.  ^yhere   did    the    Romans    hee/in    th<  ir   great 

city  building  work/ 

21.  Describe  the  Roman  Forum. 

22.  What  other  improvements  did  the  Romans 

make  ivhen  the  Forum  was  finished/ 


21. 
25. 

20. 


28. 

29. 
30. 
31. 


Wliiil   did   III!    Romans   of    waillii    do    upon 

thi  ir  diath  / 
What  wire  Roman  youths  taught/ 

What  was  Rome  thi  first  to  rralizi  of  any 
griat  eily/ 

Whal  was  Roiik's  population  elosdy  fii/iinil 
at  its  gnatisl  ptriod/ 

What  was  the  extent  of  the  iiroeision  of 
Rome  for  the  comfort,  health  and  happi- 
ness of  her  people  toward  the  elose  of  the 
city's  great  career/ 

What  made  Rome  tin    most  woiuh  rfiil  eily 

of  all  agesf 
By  ^l^hat  other  name  is  Rome  known? 
What  is  Rome's  place  in  history/ 
What  are  Chicago's  advantages  in  eoiilrast 

to  Rome's. 
What  is  Chicago's  opportunity? 


40 


WAt'KERS   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  V 


CITY  BUILDING  IN    EUROPE 

The  wisdom  of  city  building  upon  prop- 
erly drawn  plans  is  proven  even  more 
clearly  in  the  experience  of  modern  cities 
than  in  the  cities  of  the  past.  The  neces- 
sity for  such  worlc  is  more  grave  under 


gressive  and  forceful  nation  then  on  earth. 
Within  a  lifetime,  on  the  other  hand,  Chi- 
cago became  a  city  of  over  two  millions. 
Thus,  where  the  Romans  had  centuries  to 
see  the  need  of  city  planning  and  to  begin 
work  upon  it,  we  of  today  must  see  at  once 
and  act  immediately. 

The  right  building  of  modern  cities  was 
first  undertaken  in  France.  The  French 
capital,  Paris,  is  the  best  example  of  suc- 
cessful city  i)lanning  and  building  on  earth 


CHICAGO.    Proposed  Vioulevard   on    Michigan   Avenue,    view   lookit's  Nortli   from   a  Point   East   of   tiie 
Public  Library. 

[Copyriglited    by    tlie    Commercial    Club.] 


modern  conditions  of  life,  too,  with  the 
rapid  growth  of  cities,  than  in  the  days  of 
ancient  nations.  In  those  days,  when  men 
and  materials  were  moved  from  one  place 
to  another  slowly,  city  growth  was  natu- 
rally much  slower  than  today.  To  give 
Rome  a  population  of  a  million  people,  and 
to  create  the  system  of  feeding  and  sus- 
taining such  a  population,  required  hun- 
dreds of  years  in  the  life  of  the  most  pro- 


today,  and  because  it  was  well  planned  and 
well  built  it  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
wealthiest  cities  of  the  world. 

Paris  has  I'eached  the  highest  develop- 
ment of  all  the  world's  great  cities,  and  be- 
cause the  conditions  making  for  the  growth 
of  Paris  are  strikingly  like  those  surround- 
ing Chicago,  the  French  metropolis  pre 
sents  an  interesting  subject  of  study  for  the 
people  of  Chicago. 


CITY   BUILDING   IN    EUROPE 


'A 


To  begin  a  C()mi)arisoii  of  the  two  cities, 
Paris  had  its  origin  in  a  marsh.  In  tlie 
eontnry   before   the   Christian   era,   Paris 


^f^^i  ^  ^"^ 


PARIS: 


Avenue    des    Champs  Elysees  Looking  Towards 
Arc  de  Triomphe. 


was  a  little  village  on  a  low  island  in  the 
Seine.  Chicago,  also,  was  built  upon 
marshy  land.  The  cities  are  alike,  too,  in 
tliat  eacli  adjoins  a  vast  level  plain  upon 
wliicli  houses  may  be  built  indefinitely,  and 
each  had  at  its  doors  a  limitless  supply  of 
building-  material.  Fertile  lands  afford  a 
bountiful  supply  of  provisions  for  each 
city,  while  numerous  watercourses  radiat- 
ing from  each  provided  at  the  beginning 
the  ways  of  commerce  so  necessary  to  up- 
building a  city. 

About  the  year  1700,  and  during  the 
reign  of  the  great  king,  Louis  XIV,  the 
plans  of  the  Paris  of  today  were  laid.  The 
king  called  upon  the  leading  architects  of 
his  country  to  jilan  the  city,  and  they  sur- 
A-eyed  the  territory  adjoining  the  then 
crowded,  dirty  and  ill-smelling  city  as  the 
site  for  the  Paris  of  the  future.  During 
the  next  century  these  plans  were  con- 
tinued, and  some  of  them  init  in  effect. 
From  that  time  until  today,  through  times 
of  war  and  of  peace,  the  people  of  Paris 
have  worked  on  the  plan  prepared  for 


Louis  XiV,  with  result  that  they  iiave  a 
city  that  amazes  the  world  by  its  beauty 
and  attracts  to  itself  a  tremendous  Aveallli 
_  and  trade  from  all  quarters  of  the 
world. 

Napoleon  Bonaparte,  the  great  general 
I  who  led  the  invincil)le  French  armies  in 
the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
and  became  emperor,  is  honored  in  tlie 
memory  of  the  French  people  today  quite 
as  much  for  what  he  did  for  their  be- 
loved Paris  as  he  is  admired  in  their 
memory  because  of  his  military  genius. 
Napoleon  realized  that  the  city,  then  of 
seven  hundred  thousand  ]ieoi)le,  would 
become  the  home  of  two  or  more  mil- 
lions. He  realized,  too,  the  danger  to 
the  citj^  and  its  people  from  its  then 
crowded  condition.  He  proposed  to  give 
Paris,  the  center  under  his  reign  of  the 


the 


jjg" 


Louis   XIV   of    France    the    Original    City    Builder 
of  Paris. 

widest  government  since  Roman  times,  a 
splendor  eclipsing  that  of  any  existing  city. 


42 


WACKEK'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


Najjoloon  began  a  great  work  of  open- 
ing np  the  city.  He  made  almost  forgot- 
ten iilans  effective  by  cutting  new  streets. 
Under  liis  direction  superb  new  bridges 
were  constructed  across  the  Seine,  and  lie 
transformed  the  banks  of  the  river  liy 
building  new  quays.  He  built  the  first  side- 
walks in  Paris,  and  lighted  the  streets  at 
night.  Napoleon  began,  too,  the  erection 
of  great  monuments  to  commemorate 
the  valor  and  the  victories  of  his 
armies.  Arches  and  columns  which  today 
are  famous 
the  world 
around  are 
among  his 
works. 

The  succes- 
sors of  Napo- 
1  e  o  n    con- 
tinued the 
works  he  had 
started,    and 
for     fifty 
years,  as  the 
city  grew,  the 
public     i^roj- 
e  c  t  s  contin- 
ued. In  1853, 
Baron 
Georges   Eu- 
gene Haussmann,  who  lives  in  history  as 
the    greatest    citj"    builder    of    all    time, 
took  charge  of  the  completion  of  the  im- 
provement   and    beautification    of    Paris. 
Still  working  on  the  broad  lines  laid  down 
by    the    architects,    of    1700,    Haussmann 
opened  up  all  of  the  old  city  of  Paris  to 
light  and   air.     He  cut  new  streets  here, 
widened  old  ones  there,  tore  down  hundreds 
of  old  structures  that  beautiful  buildings 
could  be  brought  to  view.    He  placed  the 
railroad  stations  in  a  circle  about  the  old 
center  of  the  city,  and  opened  up  fine  ways 


of  access  to  them,  and  i)articularly  he 
created  new  diagonal  thoroughfares  to 
shorten  distances  in  the  city. 

The  work  of  Baron  Haussmann  in  Paris 
is  like  the  task  which  must  be  accomplished 
in  Chicago  that  we  may  put  our  rap- 
idly growing  cit}'  in  order  so  it  may 
continue  its  development  with  increasing- 
good  order  and  beauty.  The  population  of 
Paris  when  Haussmann  began  his  work  was 
half  a  million  less  than  the  number  of  Chi- 
cago's people  today.    The  work  cost  $265,- 


PARIS.     Court  of  the  Louvre. 

000,000.  Owing  to  Paris  being  the  capital 
of  the  French  nation,  a  large  part  of  the 
cost  was  paid  from  the  national  treasurJ^ 
The  people  supported  the  men  advancing- 
tlie  improvements  because  they  believed 
that  an  improved  city  meant  greater 
wealth  for  its  people.  This  theory  has  been 
proven  correct,  as  people  from  all  parts 
of  the  world  visit  Paris  in  great  numbers 
each  year,  and  there  spend  large  sums 
among  the  merchants  and  tradespeople. 

That  it  will  not  be  possible  to  gain  the 
financial  support  of  our  nation  in  improv- 


CITY    BUILDING   IN    EUROPP: 


4:j 


ing  Cbieago  need  not  eaiiso  the  people  any 
conoern,  or  give  rise  to  any  misgivings  in 


17S0. 


b  e  g  i  n  n  i  n  g  the 
work.  Chicago,  by 
its  great  and  in- 
creasing trade  and 
manufacturing  ac- 
tivity, has  a  much 
greater  earning 
power  as  a  city 
tlian  Paris.  Wliile 
the  commerce  of 
Paris  has,  it  is  he- 
lieved,  reached  its 
greatest  point,  tliat 
of    Chicago    is 

growing  greater  and  greater  each  year, 
and  tlie  city  is  thus  earning  more  and 
more  monej'  for  its  people.  Besides  this, 
Chicago  has  the  advantage  given  by  the 
half-million  greater  population  than 
Paris  had  when  it  commenced  its  im- 
provements luuler  Haussmann.  Also, 
because  its  people  are  paid  much  higher 
wages  than  the  workers  of  Pai'is,the  city 
can  easily  pay  sums  for  improvements 
wliicb  would  be  a  great  burden  upon  the 
people  of  the  French  capital  city. 

There  is  another  great  advantage  that 
the  people  of  Chicago  enjoy  in  undertak- 


1830. 


ing  tlie  task  of  orderly  city  building.  Tlic 
city  can  niucli  easier  pay  for  the  work  than 
can  the  people  in  any  great  European 
city  foi-  the  reason  that  our  nation,  gen- 
erally speaking,  has  had  a  career  of 
peace.  Old  world  nations  are  all  bur- 
dened with  debts  growing  out  of  great 
wars,  while  we  of  America  are  almost 
free  fi'oni  such  burdens.  We  are 
favored,  als(>,  in  that  we  are  not  com- 
l)elled,  by  fear  of  wars,  to  maintain 
huge  armies  and  navies  at  the  Iremcu- 
dous  cost  borne  by  European  peoples. 
All  conditions,  within  the  city  and  the 
nation,  are  favorable  to  Chicago  un- 
dertaking and  eas- 
ily  comiileling 
nmch  greater  and 
ni  ore  expensive 
public  works  than 
any  city  of  Europe. 
It  is  interesting 
to  note,  in  viewing 
the  results  of  city 
building  and  plan- 
ning in  modern 
times,  that  all  the 
great  cities  of  En- 
rope,      since      the 


ISSO. 

Transformation  of  the  Banks  of  the  Seine  in  Paris. 

rhronological    Views    of    the    Petit    Pont    and    Petit    Chatelet 

Showing  the  Evolution  of  the  Boulevards. 


44 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


close  of  tlie  Franco-Prussian  war  in 
1870,  have  undertaken  costly  works  of 
improvement.  The  people's  attention 
freed  from  war,  they  everywhere 
turned  at  once  to  vast  works  of  peace, 
determined  to  make  their  cities  proper 
places  for  their  well-being,  comfort 
and  luxury. 

This  era  of  peace  opened  with  most 
of  the  cities  in  Europe  as  great  walled 
towns,  little  changed  from  the  condi- 
tions of  the  Middle  Ages  except  in  the 
crowding  together  of  their  inhabitants. 
With  peace  came 
the  progress  of  in- 
vention, the  exten- 
sion of  the  use  of 
steam  power,  the 
birth  of  the  electric 
railway,  general 
use  of  the  telegraph 
and  telephone  and 
the  development  of 
all  the  agencies  of 
transportation,  in- 
telligence and  com- 
merce which  work 


1S41. 


1S7S. 

Chronological  Views  of  Place    de  la  Bastile,  Paris.     The  Evolu- 
tion of  the  Castle  and  Moat  to  its  Present  Form  of 
Plaza  and  Boulevard  is  Shown. 


1740. 

together    to    build 
up  cities. 

The  success  of 
the  French  peo]ile 
in  improving  Paris 
led  to  imitation  of 
the  methods  of 
Baron  Haussmann 
i  n  all  countries. 
The  old  city  walls 
and  b  a  1 1  le  ments 
were  either  torn 
down  or  trans- 
formed as  the  cities 
spread  out  beyond  their  ancient  boun- 
daries. In  some  cases  the  walls,  hav- 
ing great  sentimental  interest  for  the 
people,  were  made  into  gardens, 
topped  with  flower  beds  and  decorated 
with  hanging  vines.  In  other  cities 
boulevards  were  made  to  encircle  the 
center  of  the  town  whore  the  walls  had 
been. 

The  German  people  entered  into  a 
great  organization  for  city  planning. 
Within  the  last  thirty  years  a  school 
of  city  planning  has  grown  to  be  a 
great  institution  among  the  Germans, 
with  leading  architects  and  gardeners 
as  its  masters.    Literallj',  hundreds  of 


CITY  r.riLDiNG  IX  ErnoPE 


45 


German  cities  are  at  -n-ork  on  systematic 
extension  and  development.     It  is  so,  too, 

in  France,  Italy,  Ans- 

t  r  i  a  a  n  d  Ilnngary. 
Every  important  city, 
and  Lundreds  of  small 
towns,  are  engaged  in 
city  planning  and  pre- 
paring for  orderly 
growth. 

Dnsseldorf  is  one  of 
the  most  progressive 
of  all  Enropean  cities. 
The  eminent  writer, 
Frederick  C.  Howe, 
after  a  carefnl  study 
of  Dnsseldorf,  says : 

'•I  have  often 
dreamed  .of  a  city 
whose  ideals  rose 
above  mere  business, 
a  city  that  was  built 
like  a  home,  that  had  a 
communal   bigiress    of 

vision,  that      

was  planned 
by  city  buil- 
ers,  and  that 
served  its  peo- 
ple as  a  father 
might  serve 
his  children, 
and  I  have  i- 
seen  such  cit- 
ies i  n  Ger- 
many, the  na- 
t  i  0  n  which 
alone  has  rec- 
ognized the 
portent  i  o  ii  s 
significance  of 
tlie  change 
which  has  tak- 
en place  in  the 


Baron     Georges     Eugene     Haussmann.     the     Greatest 
City  Builder  of  All  Time. 


distribution  of  poi)nlation.  Of  all  German 
cities,  I  think  Dnsseldorf  is  easily  the  first. 
It  is  not  an  old  resi- 
dence city  like  Dres- 
den or  Munich.  It  is 
a  comparatively  new 
city  like  Cleveland, 
]\rilwaukee,  Indianapo- 
lis or  Kansas  City.  Its 
population  was  about 
(10,000  people  in  1871. 
In  1910  it  was  300,000. 
Dnsseldorf,  too,  is  an 
industrial  city  of  mills, 
factories  a  n  d  work- 
shops. It  is  one  of  the 
best  governed  cities  in 
the  world.  It  has 
dreamed  dreams  and 
dared  to  carry  them 
into  execution.  It  is 
almost  as  l)eautiful  as 
Washington,  as  full  of 
joy  of  living  as  Paris 


^>K-i^,.:.,f,. 


iieiiii^iMuiiiiU:" 


PARIS.  The  Place  de  la  Concorde,  Looking  Over  the  Seine  Towards  the  Madeleine.  This 
Square  is  one  of  the  Great  Circulatory  Centers  Placed  on  the  Grand  Axis  of  the  City  (the  Champs 
Elysees),  and  the  Circuit  of  the  Grand  Boulevard. 


46 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   TLAN    ()F    CHICAGO 


and  is  managed  with  move  scruinilons  lion 
esty,  more  scientific  el'liciency  and  more  de- 
\oted  pride  than  almost  any  American 
business  corporation.  The  city  is  built  for 
the  comfort  and  convenience  of  its  people. 
It  is  designed  as  master  architects  might 
design  a  world's  fair  to  which  all  mankind 
was  invited  for  education,  recreation  and 
art.  But  the  thing  that  most  distinguishes 
Dusseldorf  is  this — her  people  and  her 
officials  seem  to  appreciate  that  congestion 
of  poinilation  has  made  it  necessary  for  the 


Rue  de  Rivoli,  Paris. 

city  to  own  many  things  and  do  many 
things.  Dusseldorf  was  not  a  natural  har- 
bor. The  waterfront,  which  extends  for 
miles  along  the  Ehine,  was  low-lying  land. 
The  bank  opposite  the  city  was  covered 
with  shacks  and  liuts,  which  were  torn 
down  and  the  land  developed  into  a  beauti- 
ful parkway  several  miles  in  extent.  The 
city  side  was  reclaimed  from  the  river  and 
confined  with  stone  embankments.  A  wide 
esplanade'was  constructed  upon  which  sev- 
eral great  public  buildings  as  well  as  a 
splendid    exhibition    building    have    been 


erected.  In  the  latter  annual  exhibits  of 
art  are  held.  Further  up  the  river  a  sys- 
tem of  docks  was  constructed  with  power- 
ful cranes  and  devices  which  handle  all 
kinds  of  freight  at  an  insignificant  cost. 
Crossing  the  river  is  a  beautiful  bridge 
n])on  which  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars were  spent  merely  to  make  it  beautiful. 
The  remarkable  thing  about  this  undertak- 
ing is  the  way  business  is  made  to  harmo- 
nize witli  art  and  beaiity.  The  use  of  the 
river  front  for  recreation  is  not  impaired 

by  the  docks 
and  railroad 
tracks.  Dus- 
seldorf is  laid 
out  like  a 
great  p  a  r  k. 
Everywh  ere 
are  parks  and 
playgroun  d  s 
as  artistic  and 
varied  as  the 
landscape 
architect  can 
make  them. 
The  entire  riv- 
er bank  is  a 
pro  m  e  n  a  d  e 
and  driveway. 
The  parks  run 
into  the  heart  of  the  business  district. 
Through  the  center  of  the  town  is  a  broad 
mall  with  the  moat  of  the  old  city  in  the 
center.  It  is  lined  with  lianks,  publish- 
ing houses,  department  stores  and  office 
Imildings,  many  of  them  as  splendid  as 
palaces.  The  public  schools  of  America 
are  among  the  best  in  the  world,  but  edu- 
cation in  America  seems  unrelated  to  life. 
In  Germany  the  aim  is  to  make  efficient 
people.  'The  glory  of  the  Fatherland'  is 
the  motive  and  the  making  of  strong, 
healthy  and  competent  citizens  is  the  need. 


CITY    BUILDIXC;    IN    EUROPE 


of  the  fity'«  growth.     Strange  as  it  may 
seem  to  our  American  business  men,  tlieso 


The  (.iernuui  city  hates  the  ugly.  Diissel- 
dorf  has  been  phuuied  l)y  expert  architects 
and  handscape  gardeners  who  make  a 
profession  of  city  planning.  Nothing 
has  been  left  to  cliance.  The  individual 
property  owner  is  no  more  permitted  to 
spoil  the  harmony  of  the  whole  than  an 
incomi)etent  workman  would  be  per- 
mitted to  wreck  an  expensive  machine. 
Streets,  squares,  parks,  gardens,  play- 
grounds, all  have  their  place  in  the 
scheme  of  the  city  archil ecture,  while  in 
the  designing  of  jirivate  and  public 
works,  open  spaces  and  street  corners, 
lam])  posts  and  street  signs,  the  skill  of 
the  artist  has  been  joined  with  that  of 
the  builder  and  the  engineer.  Every- 
thing is  orderly,  systematic  and  beauti- 
ful.   Dusseldorf  is  planned  in  detail  for 

50    years    to    come.       Upon    the    maps    in  DusseWorf,    Germany.      r\w     Municipal     All     GalliTy. 

the    city    hall    one    can    see    the    location  i  municipal    activities    in    Dusseldorf    have 
of  future  streets,  boulevards,  parks,  open  |  been  promoted  by  business  men — liy  the 

same  sort  of  business 
men  who  in  America 
sacrifice  the  city  to 
their  business  advan- 
tage. In  America  we 
have  had  city  1)uilders 
of  great  ideals  whose 
liearts  were  broken 
by  the  obstacles  which 
the  laws,  the  consti- 
tuiionsand  the  courts 
threw  in  their  path.  " 
Buenos  A  ires, 
sometimes  called  the 
"  second  Paris,  "  has 
been  wise  in  retaining 
the  municipal  archi- 
tect of  Paris,  so  thai 
the  beautiful  and  rap- 
idly growing  metrop- 

spaces,    sites    for    public    l)uildings    and  |  olis  of  the  Argentine  in   South  America 
schoolhnuses,    all    located    in    anticipatinn  '  could  have  the  benefit  of  his  expert  advice. 


nrRfimiiii-ii-;iini-ii^™' 

■  -iafiimHh 


Diu  =  ^'aorf. 


Germany,    sliowing    a    broad    promenade    on    the    Rhine    embanlcmenl, 
combining  a  center  for  recreation  and  industrial  utility. 


48 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


Dusseldort,  Germany.     Municipal  Tlieatre. 


In  1900  Buenos  Aires  decided  to  increase 
its  docks.  Tlie  people  wanted  to  look 
ahead  for  future  demands.  They  took  ex- 
pert advice  and  built  docks  to  accommodate 
all  the  traf- 
fic for  the 
next  fifty 
year  s. 
These docks 
are  the 
models  o  f 
the  world. 
Monster 
ships  are 
docked, 
huge  cranes 
hoist  the 
cargoes  out 
of  the  ves- 
sels' holds 
and  place  them  in  great  wai*ehouses 
alongside,  and  immediately  on  the  other 
side  of  the  warehouses  is  the  railroad 
train.  Buenos  Aires  is  spending  mil- 
lions of  dollars  in  creating  new  and  larger 
parks,  wider  streets  and  beautiful  boule- 
vards and  other 
public  improve- 
ments. 

The     British 
people    are    in- 
dustriously    en- 
gaged,    too,     in 
city     planning 
work, made  more 
n  e  c  e  s  s  ary  in 
their  islands,  be- 
cause    of    the 
dense  masses  of 
people  in  a  small 
territory,  than  upon  the  continent.    Broad 
projects  for  the  housing  of  the  working 
classes  are  being  caried  out  in  numerous 
British  cities.     Official  boards  are  given 


power  by  law  to  supervise  town  planning 
and  building  work  all  through  the  British 
isles.  These  official  bodies  have  power, 
even  in  case  the  people  of  towns  and 
cities  do  not  realize  the 
need  of  building  by  an  offi- 
cial plan,  to  order  schemes 
of  town-planning  to  be  pi'e- 
pared  and  carried  out.  There 
is  also  a  Public  Works 
Loan  Commission,  which  aTi- 
thorizes  loans  to  provide 
money  for  carrying  out  pro- 
posed works. 

These  extensive  powers  in 
city  planning,  created  by  the 
British  government,  have  come 
as  result  of  hundreds  of  years 
of  sad  experience  to  the  British 
in  their  own  city  of  London, 
Avhich  has  over  7,000,000  people,  and  is,  as 
we  all  know,  the  world's  greatest  city.  It 
has  been  seen  how  Paris,  the  world's  most 
perfect  city,  was  developed  by  systematic 
work  and  planning  as  it  grew.  Very  inter^ 
esting  and  instructive  to  us  is  the  contrast- 


-';'?«tea» 


^1 


f«WJ» 


Dusseldorf,    Germany.      Bridge    Across    the    Rhine.      On    this    Structure    Sever;il    Hundred 
Thousand  Dollars  were  Spent  to  Make  it  Beautiful. 


ing  history  of  the  British  capital,  to  which 
we  will  now  give  attention. 

In  16G6  a  great  fire  almost  entirely  de- 
stroyed London,  which  was,  like  other  cit- 


CITY    BUILDING    IN    EUIlorK 


49 


ies  of  its  time,  a  veiy  crowded  and  iin- 
wliolesome  city,  with  narrow  and  crooked 
streets.  The  city  had  grown  slowly,  and 
witliont  any  definite  plan  of  development. 
As  the  population  in- 
creased new  territory 
had  been  added,  but 
it  was  a  planless  city 
and  inconvenient  as 
to  its  thoroughfares 
even  at  that  date. 
After  the  fire  Sir 
Christopher  "VV  r  e  n, 
one  of  the  world's 
greatest  architects, 
prepared  a  plan  for 
the  rebuilding  of  tlie 
city.     Had  that  plan 

been  adopted  London  would  have  had  a 
start  of  more  than  thirty  years  of  all  the 
world's  cities  in  orderly  constructive  work, 


adopted  for  the  French  capital.  They  pro- 
vided for  a  city  with  streets  radiating  from 
central  points,  and  for  locating  palaces  and 
pul)lic  buildings  at  the  end  of  long  vistas. 


Vienna,  Kae  rntneering. 


as  it  was  not  until  1700  that  the  first  plans 
for  Paris  were  drawn. 

The  principles   of  the  Wren  plan  for 
London  were  exactly  the  same  as  were 


Stephanie  Bridge,  Vienna. 

so  as  to  present  a  pleasing  appearance. 
The  then  leading  citizens  of  London, 
guided  by  their  selfish  interest,  disregarded 

the  W  r  e  n 
plans.  That 
mistake  h  a  s 
cost  London 
already  m  i  1- 
lions  upon  mil- 
lions in  nloney, 
besides  retard- 
ing the  devel- 
opment of  the 
city  and  pro- 
d  u  c  i  n  g  the 
most  degrad- 
ing and  social- 
ly dangerous 
congestion  of 
population  up- 
on earth. 
In  1855  the 
people  of  London  came  to  realize  that  if 
their  city  was  to  continue  in  existence  and 
to  progress  with  their  nation  great  changes 
would  have  to  be  made.     Since  then  they 


50 


WACKER-S   MANUAL   OF   TlIP:    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


have  worked  steadily  and  desperately,  as 
the  popiihitiou  of  the  city  grew,  to  repair 
the  errors  of  hapless  and  careless  growth. 
One  project  after  another  has  been  carried 
through,  at  a  cost  exceeding  one  hundred 


fame  as  a  beautiful  and  attractive  city  at 
the  expenditure  of  almost  nothing  except 
foresight.  London,  after  centuries  of  in- 
convenience, waste,  unwholesomeness 
is  struggling  to  preserve 
her    very   existence    and   is 


and    squalor. 


facing- 


expenditures     of 

of    millions    that 

merely    provide 

means   of  caring 

her 

her 


Franzen  Bridge,  Vienna. 

million  dollars.  Despite  these  great  works 
and  tremendous  expenditures,  the  city  has 
failed  to  get  relief.  Now,  that  the  conges- 
tion of  street  traffic  may  be  in  a  measure 
done  away  with,  the  London  Traffic  Com- 
mission has  decided  that  two  new  streets 
must  be  cut  through 
the  city  at  an  esti- 
mated cost  of  $125,- 
000,000  for  land  dam- 
ages alone,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  mil- 
lions that  must  be 
spent  upon  the  lalior 
of  tearing  down  miles 
and  miles  of  build- 
ings. 

The  experiences  of 
these  two  great  cities 
of  London  and  Paris 

should  combine  to  teach  Chicago  an  eifect- 
ive  lesson.  Paris  enjoys  her  miles  of 
boulevards,  her  extensive  parks,  her  op- 
portunities for  enjoyment  of  life  and  un- 
limited development,  and  her  world-wide 


hundreds 

she     may 

makeshift 

for    the    movement    of 

p  e  0  ]3 1  e     thro  ii  g  h 

streets. 

There  is  no  longer  any 
hope  of  making  London  a 
city  of  parks,  of  giving  the 
c  i  t  y  attractiveness  and 
beauty,  but  only,  at  the 
best,  of  providing  sufficient 
light  and  air  for  her  people  to  maintain 
existence  and  enough  room  in  the  streets 
for  them  to  go  about  their  city  with  com- 
parative freedom.  These  facts  mean,  ab- 
solutely, that  Chicago,  if  she  is  to  avoid  the 
perils  to  her  people  that  now  assail  the 


Karolin  Bridge.  Vienna. 

people  of  London,  must  adopt  at  once  a 
Ijolicy  of  orderly  building,  with  a  proper 
street  plan  and  broad  pro%dsion  for  park 
areas.  "We  must  look  to  the  future  days, 
when  Chicago's  citizens  will  honor  us  for 


CITY   BUILDING   IN   EUROPE 


51 


ihe  foresight  aiu 


devotion  to  our  city  which 
■will  give  them  the  benefits  and  blessings 
growing  from  onr  development  of  the  Plan 
of  Chicago. 

1.  What  is  il  UkiI  /.v  proven  even  more 

clearly  in  llu  experience  of  mod- 
ern eiti(s  than  in  the  cities  of 
the  past? 

2.  Why  is  the  necessity  for  city  build- 

ing  more    grave    under   modern 
conditions  of  life? 
.3.  How   long   and   under  tvhat   condi- 
tions ivas  Rome  acquiring  a  pop- 
ulation of  a  >nillion  people? 

4.  Why  must  Cliicago  sec  at  once  the 

need  of  city  planning  and  act  im- 
mediately? 

5.  What   modern  city  icas  first   to    undertake 

right  city  building? 
a.  Why    is    Paris    one    of    the    largest    and 
wealthiest  cities  of  the  world? 

7.  What  has  Paris  reached? 

8.  In  what  respect  does  the  French  metropolis 

present  an  interesting  subject  of  study 
for  the  people  of  Chicago? 

9.  Where  did  Paris  have  its  origin  and  in  what 

yearf 


10.  Describe  conditions  which   make  Paris  and 

Chicago  alike. 

11.  In  what  year,  and  under  what  king,  were 

the  plans  of  the  Paris  of  today  laid? 


Nancy. 


France. 
Typical 


View  of  the   Place   Stanislas,    the  Principal    Avenues   Lead   into   It, 
Arrangement   of   Public   Squares   in   Small    Surrounding  Towns. 


12.  Wliat   is   the   result  to  Paris  of   the  plans 

prepared  for  Louis  XIV ? 

13.  What  Emperor  is  honored  in  the  memory 

of  the  French  people  for  what  he  did  for 
their  beloved  Paris? 

14.  What  two  things  did  Napoleon  realize  con- 

cerning the  interests  of  Paris? 
1{>.  What    did    Napoleon    propose    to    do    for 

Paris? 
16.  Wttat  city  building  work  was  accomplislud 

in     Paris     during 
Napoleon's  reign? 

17.  Who  continued  the 
city  building  work 
of  Napoleon  and 
in  what  y<ar? 

18.  n  o  w  is  B  ar  o  n 
Uaussmann  known 
in  history? 

19.  What  did  Hauss- 
mann  accomplish 
for  Paris? 

20.  M'hat  is  the  work  of 
n  a  u  s  s  m.  ann  in, 
Paris  like? 

21.  What  was  the  popu- 
l  at  io  n  0  f  Paris 
when  JTaussmann 
began  his  work? 
State  its  cost. 

22.  Wliat  did  the  people 
of  Paris  believe 
that  an  improved 
city  meant?  Were 
t  h  e  y  correct  in 
their   belief? 

23.  State  five  advan- 
tages Chicago  has 

over  Paris  in  carry- 
ing out  a  city  plan. 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


24.  ^Vhat   has   Jiappond    in   Europe   since   the 

close  of  the  Franco-Prussian  ivarf 

25.  What  was  the  condition  of  European  cities 

when  the  era  of  peace  opened  f 


2G. 


29. 


30 


Street  Scene  in  Vienna. 


What  followed  the  opening  of  the  peace  era 
in  European  cities? 

27.  To  what  did  the  success  of  Haussmann  lead? 

28.  What  is  it  that  has  grown  to  be  a  great  insti- 

tution among  the  Germans  ivithin  the  last 
thirty  years? 
What  is  tailing  place  in  Germany  and  other 
European   countries  regarding   city   de- 
velopment? 

Name  the  most  progressive  city  on  city  -plan- 
n  i  ng    i  n 
Germany. 

31.  How  do  the 

G  e  r  m  a  n 
cities  serve 
their  peo- 
ple and 
what  has 
the  Ger- 
man n  a- 
tion  alone 
r  e  c  0  g  - 
nized? 

32.  How  is  Dus- 

seldorf  to 
i  e  c  0  in- 
pared  with 
certain 
other  Ger- 
man a  n  d 
certain 
A  mcrican 
cities ? 

33.  What  was  the  population  of  Dusseldorf  in 

187  J?    In  1910? 


■34.   Wltat  is  the  business  life  of  Dusseldorf? 

35.  How  has  Dusseldorf  dreamed? 

36.  How  does  Dusseldorf  compare  ivith   Wash- 

ington, D.  C,  and  Paris,  France? 

37.  How  is  Dusseldorf  managed? 

38.  What  tiling  most  distinguishes  Dus- 
seldorf? 

39.  What  was  done  with  the  Rhine  ex- 
tending for  miles  along  Dussel- 
dorf's  front? 

40.  What  is  it  that  was  remarlahle 
alwut  the  treatment  of  the  river? 

41.  Describe  the  parlis  of  Dusseldorf. 

42.  Contrast  the  schools  of  America 
with  those  of  Germany. 

43.  What  is  the  individual  property 
owner  in  Dusseldorf  not  per- 
mitted to  do? 

44.  Describe  the  order  of  the  arrange- 

ment of  Dusseldorf. 

45.  What  is  Dusseldorf  contemplating  for  the 

future  growth  of  the  city? 

46.  By  ivhom  have  the  activities  in  city  building 

in  Dusseldorf  been  promoted? 

47.  What  city  in  South  Atnerica  is  sometimes 

called  "The  Second  Paris?" 

48.  What  means  has  Buenos  Aires  employed  to 

beautify  that  city,  and  why? 

49.  What  in  Buenos  Aires  are  the  models  of  the 

world? 


The  Sieges  AUee.  Berlin. 

50.  What    is    Buenos 
building? 


Aires    doing    in     city 


CITY    BUILDIXG   IN    EUROPE 


53 


51. 

What  poWi  r  do  Un  paiph  hart   in  cllij  phni- 

lid. 

Wlial  itid  Liindon's  inisttil.i 

in  disregarding 

nil! (J  in  British  cities.^ 

tin    Wrtn   plan   eiist   liidl 

eily,  anti   wlial 

52. 

Wlial    caused    the    British    government    to 

followed/ 

create    extensive    powers    in    city    plan- 

III. 

In   what  year  did  London 

realizi    lur  mis- 

ning.' 

take,  and  leiial  followed. 

5b. 


58. 
5.'). 


I  n      w  h  a  t 

year  was 

L  0  n  d  0  n 

almost  en- 
tirely   dc- 

stroijed  Inj 

fire? 
What    was 

the   condi- 
tio n     o  f 

L  0  n  d  o  n 

t  h  c    time 

of  its  great 

fire? 
What   great 

a  re  hitect 

prepa  r  e  d 

a  plan  for 

t  h  e    r  e  - 

building  of 

L  0  n  d  o  n 

after  the  fire? 
What  would  have  happened  to  tin    city   of 
London  liad  the  plan  of  Sir  Christopher 
Wren  been  adopted  in  IGGGf 
What  were  the  principles  of  the  Wren  plan? 
For  what  did  the  Wren  plan  provide? 
Wliiil  iuiis(d  III!  downfall  of  tin   W n  n  plan? 


Public  Garden   iiiid  thu  Tlitseiis  Temple,   Vienna. 


What  is  Ihr 
result  o  f 
L  0  ndon's 
efforts  t  o 
repair  the 
mistake  in 
r  e  j  eeting 
the  Wren 
plan? 
What  is  it  to 
cost  Lon- 
don to  cut 
I  w  o  new 
streets 
thro  ugh 
the  city? 
64.  What  should 
c  0  ni  bine 
to  t  (  a  c  h. 
Chicago  an 
effe  dive 
lesson  ? 
suffer  as  (I   re- 


do. WJiat   )nusf  London  always 

suit  of  her  lack  of  foresight? 

<i(i.   What  shotiJd  the  hitter  lesson  of  London  con- 
vey to  the  people  of  Chicago? 

(>~.  If  Chicago  profits  by  London's  lesson,  what 
may  be  expected? 


A  Cl\ic  Center  in  Berlin. 


54 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   TIIP:    I'LAN    OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  VI 


MODERN  CITIES  IN 
AMERICA 

We  have  seen  how  in  Enrope,  nnder  con- 
ditions of  peace,  and  witli  the  stinuilns  of 
modern  commercial  conditions,  the  people 
are  plainiing  and  working  for  the  i)ro]ier 


working  for 


larniony   and  beanty   in    ihc 
bnilding  of  our  cities. 

Eew  busy  Americans  know  that  as  a 
people  we  can  lay  claim  to  being  the  only 
nation  on  earth  today  having  its  seat  of 
government  in  a  city  specially  planned,  sur- 
veyed and  laid  out  as  the  capital  city  of  a 
great  nation.  It  is  a  matter  to  stir  our  pa- 
triotism, too,  to  know  and  remember  that 
tlie  father  of  our  country,  the  immortal 
George  Washington,  was  a  city  planner, 


CHICAGO.     Bird's-eye   View  of  Grant  Park,    the 
Lagoons  of  the  Proposed  Park  on  the  South  Shore. 

[Copyrighted  by  the 

development  of  their  cities.  Greater  con- 
venience, better  sanitation,  more  light  and 
air,  and  increased  beauty  are  demanded 
not  only  in  cities  throughout  Europe,  but 
in  America  increased  knowledge  and  ar- 
tistic taste  of  the  people  is  being  mani- 
fested in  city  development.  We  of  America, 
starting  in  a  new  country,  acting  without 
restraint  of  custom  or  ancient  law,  see  our 
own  remarkable  opportunities  in  city  build- 
ing, ajid,  it  may  be  generally  stated,  are 


Facade    of    thi      '■  i-.     ili'>    Proposed    Harl^or    and    tlie 
Commercial  C1u1j-J 

and  the  first  man  in  our  country's  history 
to  gain  a  jihice  in  fame  as  an  advocate  of 
convenience  and  good  order  in  city  build- 
ing. It  was  George  Washington  who  con- 
ceived and  directed  the  laying  out  of  our 
beautiful  capital  city,  which  is  today  the 
most  admired  and  inspiring  city  of  our 
country. 

President  Washington,  as  a  surveyor 
and  civil  engineer,  recognized  the  value  of 
projier  planning  for  a  great  work.    When 


MODERN    CITIES    IN    AMERICA 


55 


it  was  decided,  therefore,  to  create  a  city 
as  our  national  capital  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  he  conferred  with  Thomas  Jef- 
fei'son,  tlien  Secretary  of  State,  and  it  was 
decided    to    employ    Peter 
Charles  L 'Enfant,  a  young 
French  engineer,  to  lay  out  the 
site  for  the  capital.    This  work 
was  done  in  1791.  L 'Enfant  de- 
liberately drew  a  plan  on  paper 
for  an  entirely  new  city  mod- 
eled after  the  principle  of  the 
plan  of  Paris,  and  designed  to 
accommodate  a  popiilation  one- 
third    greater    than    lived    in 
Paris  at  that  date. 

,    ,_     „        ^  „    ,,  1  Georse        Washington        who 

L   Entant  CareiullV  surveyed    planned    the    city    ot    washing- 
ton. 

the  entire   country  along  the 
Potomac,  where  it  was  proposed  to  locate 
the  new  city.     He  laid  out  broad  streets 
and  avenues  through  the  wide  swamps  and 


He  took  cognizance 


over  the  wooded  hills, 
of  existing  springs 
a  n  d  watercourses 
and  planned  accord- 
ingly for  fountains, 
cascades  and  canals. 
He  set  aside  a  place 
for  the  Capitol  and 
for  the  White 
House,  and  con- 
nected them  with  a 
spacious  park.  He 
l>rovided  locations 
for  every  building 
necessary  for  na- 
tional uses.  He  per- 
fected a  street  plan, 
with  proper  diag- 
onal avenues  ap- 
proaching the  civic 
center,  wliere  he  planned  to  put  the  govern- 
ment buildings. 

Not  many  people  at  the  time  could  grasp 


Original   Plan   of   Washington   Designed   by   Peter   Charles 
L,'Enfant. 


the  necessity  or  understand  liie  wisdom  of 
that  planning.  There  were  scarcely  enough 
]ieople  in  tlie  entire  country  at  that  time  to 
l>oi)ulate  the  city  L'Eiifanl   had  laid  out. 
The  people,  when  they  lieard 
the  plan  explained,  greeted  it 
witli  derision.    It  was  a  subject 
of  laughter  the  country  over 
and    of    amusement    in    every 
court  in  Europe.     The  worhl 
could  not  believe  that  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  peo})Ie  would 
ever    live    at    Washington    to 
carry  out  a  tenth  of  the  L 'En- 
fant plan. 

It  was  fortunate  that  the 
faith  of  the  people  in  President 
Washington  was  strong  enough 
to  afford  a  deep  foundation  for  his  plan 
for  the  capital  city.  Lands  necessary  for 
the  streets,  avenues,  parks  and  public 
squares  were  donated,  and  although  tliey 

lay  vacant  and  aban- 
doned for  three- 
quarters  of  a  cen- 
tury, yet  develop- 
ment and  growth 
since  the  Civil  War 
has  served  to  pro- 
duce for  IT  s  at 
Washington  one  of 
the  most  beautiful, 
i  m  ]i  r  e  s  s  i  V  e  and 
stately  cities  in  the 
world.  The  city  long 
since  outgrew  the 
original  plans  of 
L 'Enfant,  which 
ha!\'e  in  late  years 
been  extended  and 
strengthened  by  im- 
provements costing  nearly  $50,000,000. 

American  cities,  in  all  their  city  planning 
operations,  have  been  inspired  largely  by 


5G 


WACKER'S  MANUAL  OF   THE  PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


the  beauty  of  our  national  cai)ital.  An- 
other great  source  of  inspiration  for  them 
was  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in 
Chicago  in  1893,  where  was  demonstrated 
tlie  attractive  effects  of  the  proper  group- 
ing of  well-designed  buildings.  American 
cities  have  been  most  active  in  city  plan- 
ning since  the  Chicago  exposition.  It  is, 
therefore,  a  propei'  matter  of  pride  for  the 
people  of  Chicago  that  they  have  provided 
stimulus  for  the  artistic  sense  of  the  whole 
nation,  and  that  their  work  in  building  up 
a  commemorative  exposition  is  having  ef- 


T  he    Washington    Monument,    Garden    and    Mall    I^ooking 

Commission  Plan. 

feet  in  arousing  the  iiride  and  spirit  of  the 
people  of  our  sister  cities. 

One  of  the  American  cities  which  has 
gained  wide  fame  for  its  activity  in  city 
planning  is  Cleveland,  where  the  peo-jile 
have  had  created  a  great  civic  center  about 
which  the  city  is  lieing  built  in  an  orderly 
manner,  and  according  to  a  definite  plan. 
The  people  of  Cleveland,  through  a  com- 
mission, caused  a  new  federal  building,  city 
hall  and  public  library  to  be  huilt  at  the 
new  center  at  a  cost  of  $14,000,000,  and  are 
preserving  proper  architectural  relations 
between  this  group  of  buildings  and  a  new 


railway  station  nearby,  costing  $5,000,000. 
Boston's  city  planning  work  has  taken 
the  direction  of  park  extensions,  and  it  has 
conii)leted  the  most  perfect  system  of  pub- 
lic i)arks  in  the  country  at  a  cost  of  $33,- 
000,000,  besides  creating  a  tidal  basin  to 
rival  any  in  Europe.  New  York  is  also 
conserving  the  city's  park  domain  and  ex- 
tendhig  it  for  many  miles  beyond  her  bor- 
ders. Much  land  in  recent  years  has  been 
taken  for  public  purposes  along  the  Hud- 
son river,  and  converted  into  public  parks. 
Philadelphia  is  widening  its  streets,  cutting- 
parkways  and 
Ijuying  more 
land  for 
parks,  besides 
planning  t  li  e 
"grouping  o  f 
its  citj'  build- 
ings. 

In  the  mid- 
dle west  Min- 
neapolis and 
St.  Paul,  rival 
c  i  t  ie  s,  are 
working  t  o- 
gether  in  the 
upbuilding  of 
a  park  sys- 
tem, and  in  St.  Paul  agitation  for  street 
widening  work  is  under  way.  St.  Louis  has 
a  plan  for  spending  millions  of  dollars  in 
grouping  the  city  buildings,  and  creating 
outer  and  inner  park  systems,  including 
small  parks  and  playgrounds. 

On  the  Pacific  Coast  our  countrymen 
are  active  in  city  planning  work,  too.  San 
Francisco,  rebuilding  from  a  disastrous 
fire,  is  working  in  accordance  with  a  plan 
to  give  symmetry  and  beauty  to  her  streets 
and  public  buildings.  Her  people  are 
openly  ambitious  to  make  San  Francisco 
the  most  attractive  city  in  America.     To 


Toward    the    Capitol;    Senate    Park 


MODERN    CITIES   IN    AJIEKICA 


07 


tlie  nortliwaid  ul'  San  Fraiu'isco,  Portland 
and  Seattle  are  striving  to  preserve 
good  order  and  beauty  during  a  period 
of  rapid  growth. 

We  Americans,  not  content  with 
improving  and  beautifying  our  own 
native  cities,  have  begim  a  vast  task 
of  remodeling  our  new  capital  city  in 
the  Philippines,  Manila,  and  we  have 
had  entirely  new  plans  prepared  for  a 
city  to  be  created  as  the  summer  ca|)i- 
tal  of  the  Philippine  archipelago  upon 
the  hills  of  P>aguio. 

Thus  it  becomes  apparent  that  the 
demand  for  better  civic  conditions  is 
sweeping  over  the  entire  world.  As 
peace  permits  our  cities  to  grow  out- 
ward regardless 
of  means  of  de- 
f  e  n  s  e  against 
foes,  and  as  their 
people  are  being 
enriched  by  com- 
merce, popula- 
tion increases  by 
thousands  every 
year.  This 
m  a  k  e  s  conven- 
ience and  order 
a  demand  not  to 
be  set  aside  as 
the  people  be- 
come more  and 
more  accustomed 
to  improved  con- 
ditions of  living. 
The  history  of 
city  building,  in 
America  a  n  d 
abroad,  both  in 
ancient  and  in 
modern  time  s, 
shows  Chicago 
that  her  wav  to 


true  greatness  and  to  continued  growth  and 


CLETVELAND   GROUP  PLAN— View  Looking  Towards 
Lake  from  tlie  Proposed  Civic  Center. 


the 


as     Devflnpert 
Commission   of 


of    Wasliinffton 
Senate     Park 


prosperity  lies  in  making  the  city  con- 
venient and  healthful  for  its  constantly 
growing  popidation.  To  create  civic 
beauty  is  to  compel  people  to  travel 
long  distances  to  enjoy  it.  To  arrange 
fine  buildings  and  streets  in  an  orderly 
manner  means  fame  to  a  city.  Chicago 
is  ambitious  for  this  prestige  and  fame, 
which  her  people  are  coming  to  know 
will  be  gained  for  their  city  by  faithful 
devotion  to  the  ideals  and  details  of  the 
Plan  of  Chicago. 

1.  Vi'hat  is  it  that  is  being  demanded  in 

American  cities  as  ivcll  as  throughouL 
Europe  f 

2.  What  elo  we  of  America  see,  starting  in 

a    new    country,   acting    without   re- 
straint of  custom  or  ancient  law? 

3.  To    what   is   it   that   as   a    nation    ontg 

America  can  lay  claim? 

4.  What  is  it  that  should  stir  our  patri- 

otism? 

.).  Who  conceiiu d  and  directed  the  laying 
out  of  our  beautiful  capital  city? 

i!.  Wliat  did  George  Washington,  as  a  sur- 
veyor and  line  engineer,  recognize? 

7.  When  it  was  decided  to  create  a  city  as 

our  nation's  capital,  with    whom   ilid 
George  Washington  confer? 

8.  What     did     George     Washington     ami 

Thomas  Jefferson  decide  to  do? 


58 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


9.  In   what  yiar  did  Washington  decide  on  a 
citi/  plan  for  the  city  of  Washington/ 

10.  Hole  did  L'Enfant  proceed  ivith  his  work  for 

a  plan  for  Washington  f 

11.  What  was  L'Enfant's  second  step  in  prepar- 

ing a  plan  for  Washington? 
13.  What  was  the  attitude  of  the  people  toward 
L'Enfant's  plan  when  finished? 

13.  Why  ivas  L'Enfant's  plan  greeted  with  de- 

rision ? 

14.  What  did  the  faith 

of  the  people  in 

George      Wash- 
1  ington     do    for 

i  h  e   pi  a  n    o  f 

L'Enfant? 
1.5.  What  followed  the 

faith  the  people 

had    in    George 

Was  hington's 

idea  for  a  plan? 

16.  What  has  the  de- 

velopment a  n  d 
growth  of 
Washing  ton 
since  the  Civil 
War  served  to 
prod  u  c  e  for 
that  city? 

17.  AsW ashi  ngton 

continued  to 
grow,  what  tvas 
the  effect  o  n 
L'E  n  f  a  nt  '  s 
plan  ? 

18.  Wh  at   effect   did 

the  World's  Co- 
lumhian  Expo- 
sition in  Chica- 
go in  18.93  have 
0  n  American 
cities  in  their 
city  planning 
operations? 

19.  Why    tv  as    the 

World's        Co- 


mmmsniB 


CLEVELAND    GROUP    PLAN— Proposed    Civic    Center, 
Railway  Station  and  Gardens  Now  Being  Executed. 


htmhian   E.rposition  a  propir  inallir  of 
pride  for  the  people  of  Chicago? 

20.  What  American  city  has  gainid  wi<h   fame 

for  its  activity  in  city  planning? 

21.  What  have  the  people  of  the  city  of  Cleve- 

land created? 

22.  What  direction  lias  Boston's  city  planning 

work  taken? 

23.  What  is  Philadelphia  doing  to  improve  the 

city  ? 

24.  What  M  i  d  die 
West  cities  are 
engaged  on  ex- 
tensive  city 
planning? 

25.  Name  three  cities 
0  n  th  e  Pacific 
Coast  active  in 
city  planning. 

26.  What  are  Ameri- 
cans doing  he- 
sides  improving 
our  own  native 
cities? 

27.  What  does  the  his- 
tory of  city 
b  u  il  di  n  g  m 
America  and 
abroad  in  both 
ancie  n  t  and 
modern  times 
show  to  Chi- 
cago ? 

28.  What  docs  it  mean 
to  create  civic 
beauty? 

29.  What  is  if  that 
brings  fame  to  a 
city  ? 

30.  What  are  Chicago 
people  coming 
to  know  must 
h  ri  n  g  prestige 
a  n  el  fame  t  o 
their  city? 


V*».-.v--"H*..»^- 


:iii*ixiihi.i:i  ; 


WHY    CHICAGO    NEEDS   A    PLAN 


59 


CHAPTER  VII 


WHY  CHICAGO  NEEDS 
A  PLAN 


Thus  far  attention  lias  been  ftiven  to 
many  things  in  city  buikling  of  interest  to 
us  as  living  in  one  of  the  world's  greatest 


wide  work  liy  inankind  for  the  improve- 
ment  of  cities  according  to  properly  pre- 
pared iilaiis. 

As  we  think  of  these  things,  and  of  how 
otiicr  i)eople  in  other  cities  are  carrying 
out  these  tremendous  plans  for  improve- 
ment of  cities,  we  naturally  ask  ourselves 
about  Chicago.  Perhaps  we  wonder  why 
Chicago  was  not  Imilt  according  to  a  cer- 


i; 


:'0 


,j  ^*^ym^'S  "■^ 


\s. 


1* 


CHICAGO.     View   looking  North   on   the   South    Branch    of    the   Chicago    River.    Showing    the    Suggested 
Arrangement   of   Streets  and   Ways  for   Teaming  and  Reception    of    Freight    by    Boat    at    Different    L,evels. 
E.xamplcs  of  tlie  arrangement  exist  at  Dusseldorf.   Algiers.   Budapest,   Geneva  and   Paris. 
[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


cities.  We  understand,  now,  the  chief  el- 
ements that  enter  into  the  growth  of  a  city, 
the  reason  great  cities  exist,  and  the  means 
by  which  they  are  sustained.  We  know 
that  mankind,  in  the  building  and  conduct 
of  cities,  is  constantly  working  to  improve 
conditions  of  life  in  cities,  and  we  under- 
stand something  of  the  growth  of  modern 
cities,  and  the  springing  iip  of  a  world- 


tain  plan,  and  we  are  sure  to  ask  what  the 
necessity  is  for  Chicago  to  have  a  plan,  and 
what  changes  should  be  made,  if  any,  so 
that  our  city  can  be  made  orderly,  attrac- 
tive and  famous.  We  are  not  satisfied  to 
know  that  people  in  other  cities  in  our 
country  are  at  work  improving  their  cities, 
and  doing  better  work  of  that  kind  than  we 
are. 


60 


WACKERS   MANUAL    OF   TIIK    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


All  of  us  ill  Cliieago  want  our  city  to  re- 
iiiaiu  as  large  and  powerful  as  it  is,  and 
to  see  it  grow  larger  and  more  powerful 
as  we  grow  older.  We  know  that  if  it  does 
grow  in  size  and  power  we  will  be  given 
credit  for  that  growth,  because  the  city  is 
ours.  If  it  grows  more  orderly  and  beau- 
tiful and  famous,  too,  we  know  the  people 
of  all  the  world  will  admire  us,  because 
the  people  of  a  city  always  make  the  city 
what  it  is.  We  want  to  know,  then,  what  is 
necessary  for  us  to  do  that  Chicago  may 


:.^y  V  ^f^m 


Plan  of  Athens  in  Roman  Times. 

become  not  only  the  greatest  city  in  the 
world,  as  it  promises  to  be,  but  the  best 
arranged,  most  healthful  and  pleasant  city 
that  tlie  world  has  ever  seen.  We  come 
to  realize,  then,  that  the  future  of  Chicago 
is  a  most  important  thing  for  us,  that  it 
affects  us  all,  and  will  affect  our  children 
who  will  live  here  after  we  are  gone. 

We  know  that  Chicago  is  growing  tre- 
mendously fast,  and  as  we  have  never 
heard  of  any  plan  by  which  the  city  has 
been  ])uilt  we  must  believe  it  is  growing 
haphazardly,  without  plan,  as  London  grew. 


This  docs  not  satisfy  us,  for  we  do  not 
want  to  see  oiii-  city  crowded,  without  suf- 
ficient parks,  unwholesome,  ill-smelling  and 
disease-ridden,  with  dark  and  narrow 
streets,  which  it  will  cost  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  dollars  to  widen.  We  do  not  want 
people  of  the  future  to  consider  that  we, 
well  educated  and  enlightened  people,  were 
as  ignorant,  selfish  and  careless  as  we  can 
see  the  people  of  London  were  in  the  days 
of  Sir  Christopher  Wren. 

It  is  true  that  Chicago's  growth  has  been 

h  a  p  h  a  z  ard 
a  11  d    without 
order  or  ]ilan. 
The   i^rincipal 
reason    for 
that     fact     is 
the  very  good 
one    that    the 
people  who 
first  settled  in 
Chicago    were 
all   very  poor 
people.     Most 
of    them    had 
families    to 
work  for,  and 
as    there    was 
in     the    early 
days   always 
more  work  for  every  man  than  he  could 
possibly  do  the  people  had  no  time  to  con- 
sider the  future  of  the  city.     Besides  that, 
no  one  knew  when  Chicago  was  founded 
that  we  were  to  liave  such  a  tremendous 
city  here,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  one  could 
have  interested  the  people  in  a  settled  plan 
for  liuilding  the  city  then,  even  if  a  ]ilan  had 
been  drawn. 

In  the  early  days,  then,  it  was  the  duty 
of  every  man  in  Chicago  to  work  hard  to 
acquire  a  solid  foundation  of  wealth  upon 
which  to  build  the  fortunes  of  his  familv. 


WHY   CHICAGO  NEEDS  A  PLAN 


61 


There  was  tlie  whole  country  to  be  sub- 
dued that  the  people  might  live  and  wealth 
be  gained  by  agriculture.  There  were  In- 
dians to  fight,  at  first,  and  later  there  were 
trees  to  cut,  the  rough  prairie  land  to  be 
broken  by  the  plow,  houses  to  be  built 
for  shelter  for  the  homeless  pioneers,  roads 
to  be  constructed,  railroads  to  be  built. 

First  there  was  only  Fort  Dearborn  at 
Chicago,  surrounded  by  its  stockade.  Then 
a  little  straggling  village.  Eventually  a 
town  of  unpaved  and  unlighted  streets. 
Then  a  small  city  appeared.    Streets  were 


in  a  series  uf  squares,  as  the  city  spread 
into  the  adjoining  country.  Only  where  the 
old  Indian  trails  had  been  developed  into 
country  roads  were  diagonal  streets  pro- 
vided in  the  expanding  city.  No  man,  when 
cutting  up  a  farm  into  city  lots,  could  see 
why  he  should  sacrifice  property  he  could 
sell  as  lots  to  jirovide  the  people  with  di- 
agonal streets. 

The  people  of  Chicago  in  those  early 
days  were  working  to  build  a  solid  founda- 
tion for  the  city,  relying  upon  us  who  have 
followed  them  to  complete  the  building  of 


Vienna  in  the  17th  Century. 


extended,  rough  plank  paving  was  put  in, 
little  cars  drawn  by  horses  appeared,  gas 
lamps  came  to  flicker  in  the  streets  at  night, 
brick  buildings  supplanted  frame  struc- 
tures, a  railroad  entered  the  city,  and  so, 
with  gradual  improvements,  Chicago  be- 
came a  big  city  of  busy,  hard-working  peo- 
ple. 

As  the  town  grew  into  the  city,  and  the 
city  added  thousands  to  its  population,  out- 
lying farms  were  cut  up  into  city  lots.  The 
farms  were  laid  out  in  squares,  and  as  the 
fences  were  torn  down  to  make  room  for 
houses,  the  streets  followed  the  square 
lines  of  the  farms,  and  were  thus  extended, 


the  city  and  fix  the  details  of  good  order, 
cleanliness,  ease  of  travel  and  traffic,  park 
areas  and  playgrounds  for  the  children. 
The  men  of  earh'  Chicago  were  in  fierce 
competition  with  other  cities  for  the  trade 
of  the  great  west.  They  believed  if  that 
trade  could  be  secured  for  Chicago  the 
jieople  coming  after  they  had  gone  would 
look  to  beautifying  the  city,  and  making 
life  pleasant  within  its  borders.  It  is  that 
great  duty  which  faces  the  young  people  of 
Chicago  now — the  building  of  a  convenient 
and  beautiful  city  upon  the  foundations  of 
commerce  laid  by  the  men  of  Chicago  in 
earlv  davs. 


(52 


WACKER'8    MANUAL    OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


The  men  of  early  Chicago  did  well  for 
the  future  of  the  city  in  providing  it  with 
a  wide  trade,  and  with  means  of  maintain- 
ing and  extending  this  trade.  They  did 
well  for  the  future  by  providing  Chicago 
with  wealth,  which  it  has  in  abundance,  and 
which  is  needed  in  great  works  of  improve- 
ment in  all  cities.  In  leaving  this  trade  and 
wealth  to  us,  the  early  builders  of  the  city 
thrust  a  great  responsibility  upon  the 
young  people  of  Chicago  of  the  present, 
b  e  c  a  u  se 
they  p  r  o- 
vided  a  u 
inevitab  1  y 
great  f  u  - 
ture  des- 
tiny for 
the  city. 

As  has 
been  said. 
C  h  i  c  a  go 
has  grown 
during  the 
last  foi'ty 
years  at  a 
rate  ex- 
c  e  e  d  i  n  g 
G5,000  peo- 
ple a  year. 
No  one  in 
C  h  i  c  a  go 
has  asked 
these  people  to  come  here,  but  the  natural 
advantages  of  Chicago  have  bidden  them 
come.  Those  advantages  will  continue  to 
exist,  and  the  people  will  continue  to  come 
here  by  tens  of  thousands  each  year. 
Wliether  we  want  them  or  not,  they  will 
come,  and  it  is  ini]iortant  for  us  to  recog- 
nize that  fact  and  see  to  it  that  Chicago 
shall  no  longer  grow  by  chance,  but  be  de- 
veloped in  an  orderly  manner  that  all  its 
people  can  live  healthfully  and  happily. 


THE    TRANSFORMATION    OP   PARIS   UNDER    HAUSSMANN. 
Plan   showing  the    portion   executed    from    1S54    to   1SS9.      The   new   boulevards 
and   streets   are  shown   in  heavy  black  lines. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


and  that  Chicago  shall  gain  increased  fame 
not  only  as  one  of  the  greatest  cities  of 
history,  but  as  the  best  planned  and  most 
convenient  coniniunity  that  ever  existed. 

To  accomplish  this  and  so  carry  out  the 
destiny  that  its  great  men  of  early  days 
set  for  Chicago,  we  must  first  determine 
that  Chicago  must  no  longer  be  a  creature 
of  chance.  There  must  no  longer  be  plan- 
less building,  haphazard  running  of  streets, 
insuf'ticient  light  and  air  in  our  public  ways, 

cram  ped 
and  r  e  - 
s  t  r  i  c  t  ed 
parkareas, 
badly  ar- 
ranged 
t  r  anspor- 
tation  sys- 
tems, dirty 
and  c  0  n - 
g  e  s  t  e  d 
streets. 
We  m  u  s  t 
work  to  a 
plan  that 
s  tops 
waste  of 
time,  ef- 
fort, mon- 
ey and  la- 
bor in  car- 
rying    0  n 

the  work  of  our  city  and  its  inchistries.  We 
must  work  to  a  plan  that  provides  streets 
direct  enough  and  commodious  enough  to 
care  for  all  traffic  quicklj-  and  economically. 
We  must  work  to  a  plan  protecting  the 
public  health  in  every  possible  way  and 
]iromoting  healthful  and  conif()rta1)le  lives 
for  all  the  future  citizens  of  Chicago. 

In  taking  up  this  plan  for  future  Chi- 
cago we  must  avail  ourselves  of  all  the  in- 
formation science  can  afford  us.    We  recog- 


WHY   CHICAGO  NEEDS   A   PLAN 


63 


nize,  for  one  tliiiii^-,  that  city  life  is  more 
intense  and  nerve-straining  than  life  in  the 
country-.  This  means  that  our  i:)lan  must 
aim  to  do  away  with  unnecessary  noises, 
smoke,  dust,  dirt,  confusion  and  danger  of 
accident  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other 
hand  provide  an  increased  means  of  out  of 
doors  life  for  the  people,  larger  park  areas, 
more  playgrounds  and  greater  opportuni- 
ties of  recreation  and  refreshment  for  the 
dweller  in  the  Chicago  of  the  future. 

Science  tells 
n  s  ,  further, 
that  recrea- 
tion is  a  ne- 
cessity for  the 
people.  If 
proper  a  n  d 
moral  means 
0  f  recreation 
are  not  pro- 
vided in  our 
plan,  there- 
fore, we  may 
be  certain  that 
in  the  future 
Chicago,  as  in 
the  London  of 
t  h  e  present, 
the  people  will 
become    i  n  - 

ferior  in  morals,  mind  and  even  in  phy- 
sical size  and  strength  to  the  people  of 
the   present  Chicago. 

As  many  improvements  can  be  completed 
within  a  few  years,  there  is  much  of  prom- 
ise in  the  Plan  of  Chicago  for  the  young 
]ieoi)le  of  the  city,  who  within  a  few  years 
will  Ite  managing  its  affairs,  and  giving 
active  direction  to  the  work  of  carrying- 
out  this  plan  of  betterments.  The  people 
are  coming  to  recognize,  more  and  more 
each  year,  the  necessity  of  getting  to  work- 
upon    ])n])li('   ini]>rovements  rmder   an   or- 


derly plan,  and  of  deciding  at  once  ui)on 
what  improvements  are  necessary  and  what 
changes  uuist  be  made  in  our  system  of  car- 
rying on  the  commercial  and  civic  business 
of  Chicago.  We  nuiy  well  give  some  atten- 
tion, then,  to  considering  the  main  elements 
of  our  city's  various  departments  of  com- 
mercial, social  and  economic  activity,  and 
so  determine  the  first  and  most  necessary 
things  to  be  done  in  relation  to  the  Plan  of 
Chicago. 


Panorama  of  Part  of  Wodfni  Rome. 


1.  What  (Jo  we  understand  thus  far  by  studi/ 

of  Wackcr's  Manual  of  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
ra(/o  ? 

2.  What  have  we  learned  from  our  study  of  the 

building  and  eonduet  of  cities? 
■1.  What  are  our  thoughts  when  wo  realize  how 

people   in   other  cities  are   carrying   out 

tremendous    plans    for    improvement    of 

cities? 
4.  What  is  our  feeling  when  we  ask  what  the 

necessity  is  for  Chicago  to  have  a  plan? 
.').   What  do  all  of  us  in  Chicago  want? 
a.  If   Chicago   grows   more   orderly,   beautiful 

and  famous,  why  will  the  people  of  all  the 

world  admire  us? 
7.   Why  is  it    )ieeessary   that    W(    stnnild   know 

what  to  do  for  our  future  cily? 


64 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


8.  Knowing  what  io  do,  what  do  we  then  come 

to  realize? 

9.  Why  is  it  that  we  must  believe  Chicago  ds 

growing  haphazardly,  as  London  grew? 

10.  ^S'hy  does  if  not  satisfy  us  to  know  that  Chi- 
cago has  been  built  without  a  plan? 

11.  What  is  it  that  we  do  not  want  people  of  the 

future  to  consider  us? 

13.  What  is  the  principal  reason  for  the  growth 
of  Chicago  tvithout  order  or  plan? 

13.  What  was  the  duty  of  every  man  in  the 

early  days  of  Chicago? 

14.  How  did  Chicago  grow  at  first? 

15.  What  happened  as   the   town  grew  into  a 

city? 

16.  What  diet  the  people  of  Chicago  in  early 

days  rely  upon  us  for,  and  why? 

17.  What  did  the  people  of  early  Chicago  be- 

lieve ? 

IS.  What  is  the  great  duty  that  faces  the  young 
people  of  Chicago  now? 

19.  How  did  the  ^nen  of  early  Chicago  thrust 
a  great  responsibility  upon  the  young  peo- 
ple of  Chicago  of  the  present? 


30. 
21. 
22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

2G. 
27. 

28. 

29. 


At  what  rate  has  Chicago  grown  in  popula- 
tion during  the  last  forty  years? 

What  important  fact  should  we  recognize 
in  Chicago's  continued  growth? 

What  must  we  do  first  to  carry  out  the  des- 
tiny that  Chicago's  great  men  of  early 
days  set  for  it? 

Toicard  ivhat  sort  of  a  plan  must  wc  worl-f 
In  taking  up  this  plan  for  future  Chicago, 
of  what  must  wc  avail  ourselves? 

What  does  scientific  information  teach  that 
our  plan  must  aim  to  do  away  with  on 
one  hand  and  provide  for  on  the  otherf 

WJiat  further  tiling  docs  science  tell  us? 

What  of  much  promise  is  there  in  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  for  the  young  people? 

What  are  Chicago  people  coming  to  recog- 
nize more  and  more  each  year? 

What  sliould  we  determine  in  giving  con- 
sideration to  the  main  elements  of  our 
city's  various  departments  of  commercial, 
social  and  economic  activity? 


VALUE   OF   PERMANENCY    IN   CITY   BUILDING 


(15 


CHAPTER  VIII 


VALUE  OF  PERMANENCY 
IN  CITY  BUILDING 

We  have  seen,  in  our  study  so  far,  tliat 
the  peoples  of  ancient  times  not  only  built 
np  vast  and  attractive  cities,  but  con- 
structed them  so  marvelously  and  so  solidly 
that  their  principal  buildings  and  temi)les 
have  survived.  Time  and  the  elements  of 
nature  have  not  been  able  to  destroy  the 
works  of  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans. 
Though  decay  has  caused  ruin  to  buildings 
and  temples,  yet  they  have  lost  little  of  their 


trace  in  detail  tlie  histories  of  the  Greeks, 
Romans,  Egyptians,  Persians  and  other 
peoples  of  the  i^ast  had  it  not  been  that  they 
constructed  their  chief  buildings  of  the 
must  enduring  materials,  sculpturing  upon 
the  walls  of  these  structures  stories  of  the 
principal  happenings  in  the  reigns  of  their 
kings  and  emperors.  It  is  likely  that  no 
manuscripts  or  other  writings  of  the  an- 
cients would  be  in  existence  for  us  today  if 
the  libraries  of  past  ages  had  not  been  built 
so  enduringly  as  to  hold  their  contents  in- 
tact for  hundreds  or  thousands  of  years. 
When  we  consider  that  these  ancient  peo- 


Indian     Camp,     located    on     Wolf's     Point    at    the    fork    of    the    Chicag 
toward  the  lake.]     [Copyrighted  by  Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 


Rh'er.     [Ijooking 


grandeur.  They  remain,  in  form  and  out- 
line, to  inspire  our  architects  and  builders 
of  today.  Permanency  was  as  much  an 
ideal  of  the  world's  renowned  builders  as 
beauty  of  design  and  perfection  of  setting. 
If  these  ancient  builders,  whom  we  all  ad- 
mire so  much  today,  had  not  made  perma- 
nency one  of  their  great  aims,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  we  of  the  present  era  would  ever 
have  known  much  of  ancient  civilization. 
We  would  probably  have  been  unable  to 


pies  were  compelled  to  build  their  magnifi- 
eent  buildings  almost  by  main  strength, 
and  without  the  aid  of  effective  machinery, 
we  are  forced  the  more  to  admire  the  build- 
ings, and  to  marvel  at  the  energy  and  char- 
acter of  the  peoples  who  erected  them.  We 
can  understand  that  the  old-time  nations 
must  have  been  united  in  a  tremendous  civic 
spirit  to  have  accomiilished  such  works  as 
they  left  to  tell  us  of  the  existence  of  proud 
and  powerful  nations. 


66 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


Olio  reason  wliicli  iiii])elled  the  ancients  to 
build  solidly  and  permanently  is  doubtless 
tiiat  they  were  not  wasteful  and  extrava- 
gant. They  realized  that  a  building  prop- 
erly and  substantially  built  will  stand  for 
centuries,  and  so  be  cheaper  than  an  ill  con- 
structed structure.  They  were  not  con- 
structing vast  public  works  for  themselves 
alone,  but  for  all  generations  to  come  after 
them. 

We  have  seen,  as  we  studied  further,  that 
the  people  of  Europe,  also  true  economists, 
have  built  for  permanency  in  their  cities. 
Palaces,  cathedrals,  castles  and  bridges  are 
still  in  existence  and  used  in  all  parts  of 
Europe,  a  1  - 
though  c  e  n  - 
turies  have 
passed  since 
they  were 
erected.  Trav- 
elers in  Eng- 
land, France, 
Germany  and 
other  coun- 
tries are  priv- 
ileged to  visit 
the  homes  of 
famous  men 
of  other  cen- 
turies, which 
houses  are  in 
almost  as 
good  condi- 
dition,  apparently,  as  when  those  men  were 
living.  Thus  permanency  in  building  has 
saved  to  us  structures  of  most  vital  inter- 
est, linking  our  civilization  with  that  of  our 
forefathers  across  the  sea. 

We  must  not  forget,  in  looking  back  over 
the  work  of  builders  of  ancient  cities,  that 
our  opportunities  are  actually  hundreds  of 
times  as  great  for  permanent  building  as 
were  those  of  any  people  of  past  ages.    An- 


cient jieoples  had  no  mechanical  contriv- 
ances to  use  in  their  work  except  wooden 
levers,  rollers  and  low  wheeled  vehicles  to 
be  inished  or  pulled  by  men  or  horses.  We 
have  steam  hoists  capable  of  handling  hun- 
dreds of  tons  of  stone  or  steel  every  day. 
We  have  powerful  derricks,  operated  by 
steam  and  electricity.  Where  the  ancients 
were  compelled  to  shape  their  stone  by  hand, 
slowly  and  laboriously,  we  have  thousands 
of  steam  driven  and  electrical  machines  to 
use  in  cutting,  carving  and  fashioning  our 
building  materials.  Where  the  ancients 
were  under  necessity  of  cutting  stone  from 
their  quarries  by  hand  and  conveying  it  long 


Marquette  and  Joliet,  1C73.  Father  Mariiiulto,  S.  J.,  and  Louis  Joliet  of  New  France 
[Canada!  were  the  first  white  explorers  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  and  Lake 
Michigan.     [Copyrighted  by  Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 


distances  bj*  use  of  rollers  or  boats,  we  are 
al)le  to  do  our  quarrying  by  powerful  ma- 
chinery and  explosives,  and  carry  the  prod- 
uct away  on  steam  railways.  We  are  even 
able  to  manufacture  stone  itself  from  ce- 
ment, gravel  and  water,  and  to  mold  it  as  we 
please  as  our  buildings  are  being  erected. 
From  all  these  things,  it  is  plain  that  we 
have  duties  to  fuliill  in  ]iermanent  building 
that  were  not  imposed  upon  the  peoples  of 


VALUE   OF   PERMANENCY   IN   CITY   BUILDING 


67 


on  llie  site  of  Cliioago  two  thousand  years 
lience  to  tell  of  our  existence?  If  a  great 
fire  came  almost  every  building  would  he 


ancient  cities.  How  much  more  magnificent 
would  ancient  Rome  have  been  if  its  build- 
ers could  have  commanded  the  use  of  mod- 
e  r  n  building 
i  m  p  lenient s! 
How  m  u  c  h 
higher,  h  o  w 
m  u  c  h  better, 
would  h  a  V  e 
been  the  Pyra- 
mids of  Egyi^t, 
built  stone  by 
stone  from  ma- 
terial said  to 
liave  been  car- 
ried hundreds 
of  miles  under 
the  severest 
conditions,  i  f 
"the  ancient 
E  g  y  p  t  i  a  ns 

1    -T  i"  1  rl       limTQ  French    fort    at    Chic.iKO.    1GS5.      This    French    fort    was    the    first    establishment    of    any 

<    ()  U  1  (.1       llcl\e     g-overnment  on  the  site  of  Cliicago.     [Copyrighted  by  Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 

used  railways 

and  steam  derricks  !  If  our  civilization  were     destroyed   at    once.      The    few   walls    left 
to  be  blotted  out  today,  what  would  be  here     standing  would  be  open  to  rain  and  snow 

from  all  sides 
and  in  a  few 
years  woiddbe 
fallen  in  ruins. 
Stone  and 
brie  k  would 
d  i  s  i  ntegrate 
a  11  d  become 
dust  and  earth. 
If  fire  did  not 
come,  and  Chi- 
cago were  left 
to  decay,  the 
elements 
would  at  once 
b  e  g  i  n  their 
work  o  f  d  e  - 
s  t  r  u  c  t  i  o  n  . 

Coiinneroi-    on    the   Chicago-PurtHm-.    about    1763.    Fiviicli    ■■\'oyii!;Lur.-i'    uikini;    l.alc.-i   ol  'Wnnrloii  cfvnP- 

furs   over   the   portage.     [Copyrighted   by   Edgar   S.    Cameron]  >>  oimt'ii  M  i  u<- 


68 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


tures  would  first  become  weather-beaten, 
then  boards  would  loosen  and  blow  to  the 
ground,  and  within  less  than  a  century 
every  wooden  building  would  become  a 
mound  of  musty  ruin  mingled  with  the  soil 
of  the  earth.  The  massive  steel  beams  of 
our  high  buildings  would  rust,  and,  break- 
ing, cast  down  their  burdens  of  stone,  brick 
and  tiling  to  earth,  all  gradually  disappear- 
ing under  the  influence  of  air  and  water. 
Men  visiting  the  site  of  Chicago  in  two 
thousand  years  would  find  to  indicate  hu- 
man presence  in  the  past  only  the  long 
mounds  of  raised  earth  which  mark  the 
courses  of  our  railways  where  they  are  ele- 
vated within  the  city.  If  our  visitors  then 
should  excavate  they  would  find  the  foun- 
dations of  some  of  our  buildings  and  pave- 
ments and  probably  some  bits  of  marble 
and  pieces  of  glass  which  had  defied  the  de- 
stroying work  of  air  and  moisture.    Every 


Foil    Dearborn   and    Kinzie    House.    1S03-4.      This    tort   was    the    first    outpost    of   American 
government  on  the  site  ot  Chicago.     [Copyrighted  by  Edgar   S.   Cameron.] 


other  work  of  man  in  Chicago  would  have 
disappeared.  We  would  have  left  nothing 
to  testify  to  the  world  that  here  existed  a 
progressive  and  enlightened  people. 


If  we,  as  the  people  of  one  of  the  most 
populous  cities  the  world  has  ever  known, 
care  to  take  the  view  that  ancient  peoples 
were  over  vain  in  looking  to  the  good  opin- 
ion of  nations  to  follow  them  upon  the 
earth,  we  certainly  cannot  afford  to  disre- 
gard, in  considering  permanency  in  build- 
ing, the  ([uestion  of  the  present  day  econ- 
omy. Buildings  which  are  erected  today 
for  our  use  must  be  paid  for,  and  ours  is 
the  money  that  must  be  used  for  that  pur- 
pose. Let  us  look,  then,  at  that  sub.ject  as 
it  affects  the  past  and  promises  to  affect 
the  future  in  Chicago. 

Because  of  the  rapid  growth  of  our  city, 
as  we  have  noted,  it  was  impossible  in  the 
early  days  to  look  far  ahead  in  building. 
Our  early  habit  thus  was  to  build  only  for 
the  day  at  hand,  without  taking  any  long- 
look  into  the  future.  From  the  beginning 
until  the  very  present,  we  have  not  made 

any  attempt  to 
build  for  per- 
m  a  n  e  n  c  y  . 
Whenweneedr 
ed  a  city  hall 
or  a  court 
house  we  al- 
ways figured 
how  cheaply 
we  could  build 
it,  without  con- 
sidering close- 
ly how  long  it 
would  serve 
its  purjiose 
after  it  was 
ready  for  oc- 
cupancy. We 
did  not  look  to 
creating,  in  any  public  building,  an  institu- 
tion which  would  represent  to  us  anything 
of  the  history  or  the  spirit  of  our  city,  as 
the  people  of  European   cities   do.     Our 


VALUE   OF   PERMANENCY    IN    CITY   BUILDING 


69 


ideas  have  always  been  to  make  all  our 
buildings  serve  present  needs,  and  let  the 
future  look  to  itself. 

At  first  glance,  this  policy,  thougli  selfish 
and  narrow,  seems  at  least  to  be  the  cheap- 
est way  of  doing.  Only  when  we  think 
about  it  do  we  see  how  foolish  it  really  has 
been.  We  have  spent  millions  upon  mil- 
lions of  dollars 
in  building  up, 
tearing  down 
a  n  d  the  n 
building  up 
again.  Chi- 
cago once  de- 
s  t  r  0  y  e  d  a 
court  house, 
erected  at 
great  cost  only 
a  few  years 
earlier  and  re- 
placed it  with 
another  costly 
structure.  For 
a  sum  much 
smaller  than 
the  cost  of 
both  buildings 

■we  could  in  the  first  place  have  put  up  one 
building  more  commodious  than  the  present 
one,  besides  bestowing  a  permanent  monu- 
ment upon  our  city,  around  which  monu- 
ment would  center  much  of  the  sentiment 
of  the  people  touching  the  history  and  de- 
velopment of  Chicago. 

Our  failure  to  build  for  permanency  in 
Chicago  has  been  not  only  a  public  weak- 
ness, but  also  one  from  which  almost  all 
individual  builders  have  suffered.  There 
are  many  sites  within  Chicago  that,  within 
a  space  of  seventy  years,  have  been  occu- 
pied by  three,  four  or  five  different  build- 
ings. Their  owners  have  been  unable  or 
unwilling  to  look  ahead  far  enough  to  an- 


t  icii)ato  and  prepare  for  the  future,  witli  re- 
sult that  great  amounts  of  time,  labor,  ma- 
terials and  money  have  been  wasted.  More- 
over, the  city  has  been  kept  in  a  condition 
of  chaos  by  such  methods,  the  constant  and 
shifting  operations  of  builders  keeping  the 
entire  city  always  in  a  state  of  disrepair 
and  disorder. 


Fort  Dearborn  Massacre,  1812,  which  occurred  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  near 
the  foot  of  Eighteenth.  Street,  following  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Dearborn.  [Copyrighted  bv 
Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 

Another  reason  why  we  should  adopt  the 
idea  of  permanency  in  building  is  that  such 
construction  is  the  principal  element  of  at- 
tractiveness. Under  prevailing  conditions 
of  planless  growth,  no  property  owner  of 
Chicago  can  be  sure  of  the  future  character 
of  buildings  adjoining  his  property.  He  is 
not  safe  in  making  a  large  investment  in  a 
structure  of  a  permanent  nature,  because 
his  neighbors  may  be  permitted  to  change 
the  character  and  use  of  their  property,  and 
so  depreciate  the  value  of  his  improvement. 
Proper  planning  and  permanency  in  build- 
ing go  hand  in  hand.  Europe's  chief  cities 
owe  much  of  their  beauty  to  permanent 
building,  and  to  the  development  of  streets 


7n 


WACKER'S   MAXTAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


and  avenues  liaviny  buildings  of  uniform 
lieiglit,  color,  material  and  general  design. 
Owners  of  property  there  are  not  permitted 
to  build  as  tliey  please,  but  are  required,  for 
the  good  of  all  in  tlie  cit.y,  to  follow  certain 
general  architectural  lines  in  construction. 
Lack  of  this  permanency  in  construction 
and  design  of  buildings  is  what  causes  the 
broken  and  unsightlj'  a]ipearance  of  many 
of  Chicago's  streets. 

The   destruction   of  existing  buildings, 
done  to  replace  them  with  other  structures, 


One  railway  company  of  Chicago,  after 
outgrowing  one  terminal  station  in  a  few 
years,  has  spent  $20,000,000  to  build  an- 
other, yet  finds  that  new  station  only  com- 
modious enough  for  the  jiresent  day  needs, 
and  sure  to  be  too  small  within  another  dec- 
ade. This  failure  to  look  ahead  and  so  pro- 
vide for  the  future  by  permanent  buildings, 
is  not  so  apparent  in  New  York  City,  where 
one  railway  terminal  was  bi;ilt  at  a  cost  of 
$200,000,000,  while  another  one  cost  $137,- 
000,000.    In  other  words,  New  York  spent 


riiililiarrVs    Train.    ISl'T.      He    was    the    firs 
by  pack  ponies  instead  of  by  boat  as  was  the 
Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 

is  a  work  seen  in  all  parts  of  Chicago  by  all 
boys  and  girls.  "Wlierever  it  is  done,  one 
may  be  sure  the  wasteful  work  of  destruc- 
tion results  from  careless  planning.  It 
would  seem  to  us  that  experience  would  have 
taught  Chicago  years  ago  to  look  ahead  and 
make  better  and  more  secure  plans  for  per- 
manent building.  Yet  it  seems  this  lesson 
has  not  been  learned  by  the  people.  Hardly 
any  building  in  Chicago  is  today,  in  fact, 
adequate  even  for  present  needs,  not  to 
mention  the  failure  to  provide  for  the  fu- 
ture. 


t    to      tiansiioi't    soods    lietween    trading    posts 
usual   custom   in   those  days.      [Copyrighted   by 

nearly  forty  times  as  much  money  provid- 
ing railway  terminals  at  one  period  as  was 
expended  in  Chicago,  although  Chicago  is 
much  the  more  important  railway  center. 

Experience  of  other  cities  throughout  the 
history  of  the  world  goes  to  show  that  we 
ought  to  begin  at  once  in  Chicago  to  plan 
and  build  for  permanency.  Eeasons  of  am- 
bition, civic  spirit,  economy  and  attractive- 
ness all  urge  us  to  determine  and  strive  to 
create  public  and  private  buildings  of  great 
solidity  and  durability. 

To  do  only  the  things  that  are  necessary 


VALL'E    OF    PERMANEXCV    IX    CITY    BUILDING 


71 


from  (lay  to  day,  without  careful  thought 
and  planning,  is  the  mark  of  carelessness. 
No  one  admires  the  shiftless,  careless  and 
untidy  boy  or  girl,  and  every  city  must  show 
Dial  it  is  not 
wasteful  a  n  d 
shiftless  b  e- 
fore  it  can  ex- 
pect to  be  ad- 


mired by  other 
cities. Thetime 
hascomeforan 
end  of  make- 
shift methods 
in  b  u  i  1  d  i  n  g 
Chicago,  b  e- 
cause  we  who 
are  building 
and  own  this 
great  city  are 
no  longer  poor 
and     s  t  r  u  g- 


gling,  but  make  up  a  ricli  ami  ]>rosperous 
]ieople.  We  have  come  to  a  time  that  we 
can  cease  liurrying  in  trying  to  build  our 
city  and  begin  building  in  a  correct,  sane 


Illinuis  and  Michigan  i ' mal.   imn.     lC"i)\  riglited  by  Edsur  S.   Cainfiun. 


Camp  Douglas.  1SC3.  This  was  situated  along  the  lake  shore  from  Thirty-first  Street 
to  Thirty-fiflh  Street,  Cottage  Grove  Avenue  and  west  to  Rhodes  Avenue.  LCo'pyrighted  by 
Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 


and  well  plan- 
n  e  d  manner. 
W  e  can 
d  o  a  w  a  y 
w  i  t  h  stpmlid 
streets  and 
ugly  buildings, 
and  by  perma- 
nent construc- 
tion gradually 
develop  o  u  r 
Iiome  city  in 
good  o  r  d  e  r 
and  attractive- 
ness, as  pro- 
vided for  in 
all  details  of 
t  h  e  P  1  a  n  of 
Chicago. 


WACKEK'S  MANUAL   OP  THE  PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


Great    Fire    of    1S71.      This  sliows   the   burning   of   the   City  Hall   and  County  Building:. 
[Copyriglited  by  Edgar  S.  Cameron.] 


1.  Why  have  the  great  puhlic  icorks  of  ancient 

cities  survived  through  centuries? 

2.  How  has  the  permanent  huilcling  of  ancient 

cities  benefited  us? 

3.  What  has  ieen  the  effect  of  permanent  con- 

struction work  in  ancient  cities? 


4.  How  has  the  permanent  character  of  ancient 
temples  and  libraries  served,  their  build- 


ers / 


5.  What  do  the  magnificent  ruins  of  ancient 

cities  signify  to  us,  and. why  f 

6.  State   one   important   reason   impelling   the 

ancients  to  build  for  permanency. 


World's    Fair.    1S93,    showing    the    Court    of    Honor    as    seen    from    an    upper    floor    of    the 
Administration  Building.     [Copyrighted  by  Edgar  S.   Cameron.] 


\AIJ'K    OF    PKRMANKXCV    IN    CI'I'V    lU'ILDING 


7.  Ill     what     way     hare     pennaiu  nl     hidldiiii/ 

methods  in  Europe  benefited  us' 

8.  How   do   our   opportunities  for  permanent 

building     compan      u'ith     those     of     the 
ancients,  and  ivhyf 

9.  What  do  our  opportunities  for  sucli   build- 

ing mean  for  usf 

10.  What    would   be   one   result   of   ahandoniiuj 

Chicago  today' 

11.  Has    Chicago    any    permanent    monumenl(d 

worhs  such  as  the  Romans  constructed .' 


I.'.  Wliul  important  midict  sliould  imp<l  us  to 
build  for  permanency'/ 

Jo.  ]\lint  lias  tu  (  n  Chicago's  pidicg  in  i  reeling 
public  buildings' 

11.  Is  this  a  good  or  hud  policy,  and  why? 

I.'.  What  effect  would  planning  for  p(  rmanencj/ 
In  building  have  on  thi  attractiveness  of 
Chicago,  and  why.' 

Iti.  What  causes  the  irregular  and  unsightly  ap- 
pearance of  some  Chicago  streets? 

17.  What  reasons  can  be  urged  for  beginning 
now  to  build  permancnily .' 


Memorial  cross  at  Junction  of  Chicago  River  and  Drainage  Canal,  foot  of  Robey  Stret-t. 
Erected  in  1907  by  the  City  of  Chicago  in  memory  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  on  the  spot 
wliere  Father  Marquette  spent  the  winter  of  1GT4-1675.  [Copyrighted  by  Edgar  S. 
Cameron.] 


74 


WACKEKS   3IANUAL    OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  IX 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  PLAN 
OF  CHICAGO 

AYe  have  seen  liow,  in  times  of  the  past, 
the  work  of  building  cities  by  plans  pre- 
pared by  great  architects  was  done  in  large 
part  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  one  man. 
A  powerful  ruler  would  think  to  perpetuat? 
his  fame  by  improving  a  city.  One  Em- 
peror after  another  thus  built  up  Rome. 


and  by  their  counsel  leading  the  people  to 
adopt  llieir  ideas  for  the  good  of  all.  Thus 
has  the  Plan  of  Chicago  been  originated  and 
tlius  will  it  be  carried  out. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago  was  inspired  in  the 
minds  of  a  small  number  of  men,  leaders  in 
the  business  life  of  the  city,  and  members  of 
two  of  Chicago's  most  i)rominent  social  or- 
ganizations— the  Commercial  Club  and  the 
Merchant's  Club.  This  was  in  the  period 
innnediately  following  the  World's  Colum- 
bian exposition,  held  in  Chicago  in  1893. 

After  the  great  World's  i^air  was  closed 


CHICAGO.  Railway  Stations  Scheme  West  of 
Sliowing  Tlieir  Relation  to  tlie  Civic  Center.  This 
that  of  the   Street,   with  Stations  Above. 

[Copyrighted  by  tlie  Commercial  Club.] 


the     River    between     Canal     and     Clinton     Streets. 
Plan   Provides   for  the  Railways  at   a  Level   Below 


It  was  no  doubt  the  wish  of  Louis  XIV  to 
make  his  name  famous  for  all  time  that 
moved  him  to  have  the  plans  of  Paris  pre- 
pared. In  modern  times,  and  in  our  country, 
this  imperial  way  of  city  building  is  impos- 
sible. No  one  man  has  the  power  to  order 
vast  changes.  It  can  be  done  only  by  wise 
leaders,  thinking  out  i^lans  for  betterments 


some  of  the  men  who  had  worked  to  make  it 
a  great  success  for  Chicago  met  together  at 
their  clubs.  Tliey  had  learned  during  the 
Fair  that  orderly  arrangement  of  buildings 
and  streets  gave  a  most  pleasing  effect. 
They  clearly  saw  that  to  create  a  wide  plan 
to  that  end  and  to  carry  it  out  throughout 
all  Chicago  would  be  to  make  their  home 


ORIGIN    OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


75 


rity  famous  all  o\er  the  world.  Therefore 
they  set  ahout  working  out  a  plan  to  do  this 
great  thing,  and  the  plan  they  developed  by 
years  of  study  is  today  known  as  the  Plan 
of  Chicago. 

"While  the  Commercial  Club  Committee 
was  working,  an  independent  movement  to 
the  same  end  was  started  by  the  Merchants ' 
Club.  The  plans  thus  advanced  were  en- 
tirely formulated  by  1906,  when  the  Mer- 
chants' Club  formally  undertook  the  work. 
In  1907  the  two  clubs  united  under  tlie  name 
of  the  Connnercial  Cluli,  which,  in  1908, 
gave  the  world  the  completed  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago. 

In  producing  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  the 
Commercial  Club  spared  neither  time, 
money  nor  effort  in  preparing  all  the  charts, 
maps  and  drawings  by  famous  architects 
necessary  to  carrying  out  the  remodeling 
and  developing  of  the  city. 

Thus,  after  years  of  study  and  hard  work 
by  the  Commercial  Club  members,  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  was  completed  and  ready  for 
submission  to  the  citizens  in  the  early  Fall 
of  1909.  Then  it  was  evident  to  the  leaders 
of  the  agitation  that  the  time  had  come  to 
engage  the  public's  interest  and  put  the 
pian  into  the  bands  of  the  people's  repre- 
sentatives. Conferences  were  held  to  deter- 
mine the  course  to  be  followed.  Counsel  was 
taken  of  the  city  authorities,  and,  as  a  re- 
sult, it  was  decided  to  create  a  permanent 
organization  to  be  known  as  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission.  This  body,  it  was  de- 
cided, should  be  made  up  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  men  of  influence  composed  so  as  to 
represent  all  the  business  and  social  inter- 
ests of  the  city. 

In  accordance  witli  the  decision  of  the 
Commercial  Club  members  to  have  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  put  in  the  hands  of  the  people's 
representatives,  the  Mayor  of  Chicago  on 
Julv  G,  1909,  sent  a  message  to  the  Citv 


C'ouncil  in  which  he  said,  "Your  attention 
is  called  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  with  a  view- 
to  future  action  for  the  development  and 
improvement  of  our  city,  with  which  plan 
you  have  all  doubtless  been  made  acquaint- 
ed by  newspaper  publication  and  otherwise, 
and  which  has  been  or  soon  will  be  laid  be- 
fore you  in  detail. 

"The  Commercial  Club  of  Chicago,  which 
has  fathered  this  project,  has  done  a  most 
imiiortant  work  for  Chicago  and  its  citizens. 
It  has  labored  unselfishly,  giving  freely  of 
its  time,  energy  and  money  for  a  number 
of  years  to  produce  a  clear,  concrete  and 
comprehensive  plan  of  municipal  develop- 
ment calculated  to  utilize  the  natural  ad- 
vantages of  Chicago  in  the  direction  of 
making  it  a  beautiful  and  attractive  city  as 
well  as  a  commercial  metropolis.  The  Com- 
mercial Club  has  asked  to  have  presented 
to  you  the  result  of  their  work,  with  a  view 
to  securing  your  co-operation.  In  present- 
ing it,  it  is  desirable  to  make  clear  certain 
points  as  follows : 

"  First,  the  central  idea  out  of  which  the 
Chicago  Plan  has  grown  is  this : 

"If  Chicago  is  to  become,  as  we  all  T)e- 
lieve,  the  greatest  and  most  attractive  city 
of  this  continent,  its  development  should 
be  guided  along  certain  definite  and  jire- 
arraiiged  lines,  to  the  end  that  the  necessary 
expenditures  for  public  improvements  from 
year  to  year  may  serve  not  only  the  purpose 
of  the  moment,  but  also  the  needs  of  the 
future;  and  from  time  to  time  and  jiiece- 
meal  as  necessity  calls  for  them  may,  in  the 
long  run,  fit  into  and  become  parts  of  a  well 
considei-ed,  consistent,  practical,  organized 
scheme  of  municipal  development. 

' '  Second,  the  Chicago  Plan  has  been  form- 
ulated as  a  basis  and  starting  point,  as  it 
were,  from  which  to  work  in  the  develop- 
ment of  an  official  municipal  plan  that  shall 
embrace  the  making  of  public  improvements 


76 


AYACKER'S   MANUAL    OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


and  the  development  of  pnblie  ntilities  in 
coming  years.  It  is  not  presented  to  us  as 
a  hard  and  fast  plan  to  be  accepted  or  re- 
jected as  it  stands.  It  is  presented  more  as 
a  suggestion  of  the  possibilities  of  our  situ- 
ation, to  be  utilized  in  whole  or  in  part  in  the 
development  of  an  official  plan  as  the  best 
judgment  of  this  community  maydetermine. 
"Third, the  Chicago  Plan  is  not  presented 
as  a  scheme' 
for  spending 
untold  m  i  1- 
lions  of  dol- 
lars now  or 
in  the  future ; 
on  the  CO  n- 
trary,  it  is 
a  comprehen- 
sive sugges- 
tion of  what 
may  b  e  ac- 
complished in 
the  course  of 
years,  it  may 
b  e  fifty,  i  t 
may  be  a 
hundred,  by 
spending  i  n 
c  0  n  f  o  r  m- 
ity  with  a 
well    defined 


use  and  excavated  materials,  disposition  of 
which  is  beconjing  a  burden,  dunii)c(l  in  the 
lake  at  specific  localities  for  the  making  of 
islands,  outer  parks,  etc. 

"Fourth,  the  Cliicago  Plan  is  in  conflict 
with  no  other  plan  or  project  for  the  indus- 
trial or  commercial  development  of  Chica- 
go. It  fits  in  with  the  recommendation  of  the 
Harbor  Commission,  it  takes  into  account 


plan  the 
money  which 
we    must 

spend  anyhow  from  time  to  time  on  perma- 
nent public  improvements.  Paris  has  been 
made  the  world's  most  beautiful  city  be- 
cause she  has  followed  for  more  than  fifty 
years  the  policy  of  making  public  improve- 
ments in  conformity  with  a  clearly  defined 
l^lan.  If  the  Chicago  Plan  were  adopted 
now  a  good  start  toward  its  realization 
could  be  made  at  once,  and  without  a  dol- 
lar of  cost  to  the  people,  by  having  the  ref- 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  the  Street  and  Boulevard  System  Present  and  Proposed.  The 
Proposed  Diagonal  Arteries  Are  in  Every  Instance  Extensions  of  Those  Already  Existing,  and 
Around  the  Center  of  the  Citv  they  Sei-v-e  to  Create  in  Conjunction  with  Rectangular  Streets, 
the  Proposed  Circuit  Boulevards.     [Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 

and  provides  for  the  city's  growing  trans- 
portation needs,  both  in  relation  to  steam 
roads  and  in  relation  to  transportation 
within  the  city  limits  and  communication 
between  the  ditf erent  divisions  of  the  city. 

* '  Fifth,  this  plan  is  not  to  be  considered 
as  the  embodiment  of  an  artist's  dream  or 
the  project  of  theoretical  city  beautitiers, 
who  have  lost  sight  of  every-day  affairs  and 
who  have  forgotten  the  needs  and  interests 


ORIGIN    OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


of  the  most  of  the  people.  On  the  coiit  rary, 
experience  and  observation  have  taught  us 
that  deveUi]inient  and  beautitieation,  if  you 
please,  making  Chicago  attractive  to  visit- 
ors from  all  parts  of  the  world,  will  add  to 
Chicago's  resources  a  very  great  commer- 
cial asset,  the  value  of  which  will  be  reflect- 
ed in  every  piece  of  real  estate  within  our 
limits.  In  producing  this  plan  the  main 
thought  has  been  relief  from  the  neglect 
from  which  the  great  West  Side  has  suf- 
fered and  for  the  congestion  al  tlie  city's 
commer- 
cial center, 
which  has  so 
impeded 
healthy 
growth  of 
the  e  nt  ire 
business  dis- 
t  r  i  c t.  In 
short,  there 
has  been  kept 
in  mind  at 
every  step  in 
the  produc- 
tion of  the 
Chicago 
Plan  not  on- 
ly the  art- 
istic     but 

the  commercial  and  industrial  development 
of  the  City  of  Chicago,  along  lines  that 
promise  the  best  results  at  the  least  ex- 
penditure of  time,  effort  and  money. 

' '  Sixth,  the  Chicago  Plan  does  not  con- 
template the  remodeling  of  Chicago  in  a 
year  or  a  decade.  It  is  the  suggestion  of  a 
plan  for  the  far  future — a  suggestion  of 
something  to  grow  to.  It  is  offered  now  be- 
cause the  sooner  comprehensive  planning 
and  building  are  ujidertaken  the  more 
quickly  will  results  be  accomplished  and 
the  less  they  will  cost. 


"The  appointment  of  a  commission  has 
been  asked  for  to  take  up  this  question  and 
study  further  the  problems  involved  in  the 
Chicago  Plan  with  a  view  to  determining 
whether  it  is  feasible  to  adopt  any  part  of 
said  plan  now  and  if  so  whore  to  begin.  It 
is  therefore  recommended  that  your  honor- 
able body  authorize  the  Mayor  to  appoint 
such  a  commission  to  be  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  your  honorable  body  and  citizens 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  take  up  this  ques- 
tion to  the  end  that  the  whole  city  and  all 


Diocletian  Baths.  Rome. 

elements  in  it  may  be  fully  informed  as  to 
what  is  contemplated  in  this  plan  for  the 
future,  so  that  an  official  plan  of  Chica.go 
may  be  produced  that  will  have  the  en- 
dorsement and  sup])ort  of  the  entire  mu- 
nicipality. " 

At  the  same  mectin.g  the  Mayor  was 
given  power  to  ajipoint  the  commission  as 
asked  for,  and  on  November  1, 1909,  he  sent 
the  City  Council  another  message  contain- 
ing the  names  of  328  leading  men  of  Chi- 
cago who  were  to  make  up  the  first  member- 
ship of  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission.    In 


78 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OP   CHICAGO 


his  second  message  tlie  Mayor  said:  "  By 
virtue  of  authority  conferred  upon  nie  by 
your  honorable  bodj'  at  the  meeting  held  on 
July  6,  1909,  I  liaA'e  appointed  and  trans- 
mit herewith  the  names  of  the  members  of 
the  Chicago  Plan  Commission,  which  Com- 
mission is  to  take  up,  and  study  further  the 
]irol)lems  involved  in  said  Chicago  Plan  re- 
lating to  further  improvements  in  the  City 
of  Chicago,  with  a  view  to  determining  and 
recommending  to  j'our  honorable  bodj' 
whether  any  or  all  parts  of  said  Chicago 
Plan  should  be  adopted  by  the  City  of  Chi- 
cago as  a  line  of  policj-  to  be  followed  in 
making  public  improvements  during  the 
coming  years. 

"The  plan  represents  the  best  etfort  of 
the  best  city  iilanning  talent  in  America, 
supplemented  by  the  concentrated  judgment 
of  practical  business  men  who,  in  looking 


f: 


aai:-,j  ■'"'^p^iTT'Titiiti  vit'n '  •-m-r.-»-Tpv>  .^  ■~- 


1^1 -      ^^^    ^^^ 


\l.uiiiLL    ^il    .VliLlluI    u\  ur     till 


lU\Lr   Seme.    Paris,   France. 

toward  making  Chicago  a  more  attractive 
city,  have  never  lost  sight  of  its  further  de- 
velopment possibilities  along  commercial 
and  industrial  lines.  The  membership  of 
the  Chicago  Plan  Commission  has  been 
made  as  representative  as  possible  of  every 
section  and  everv  element  in  our  population. 


"To  secure  at  all  times  adequate  repre- 
sentation on  this  Commission  of  the  city 
government  and  of  all  other  locally  inter- 
ested govermnental  agencies,  it  is  respect- 
fully recommended  that  the  persons  ap- 
pointed because  of  their  official  positions 
which  they  now  hold,  to  wit,  members  of 
the  City  Council,  chairmen  of  Council  Com- 
mittees, the  Corporation  Counsel,  Commis- 
sioner of  Public  Works,  City  Engineer, 
Health  Commissioner,  President  of  the 
Board  of  Education  and  President  of  the 
Public  Library  Board  of  the  City  of  Chi- 
cago, the  President  of  the  County  Board, 
the  Presidents  of  the  Park  Boards  and  the 
President  of  the  Sanitary  District,  shall  be 
held  to  be  ex-officio  members  of  said  Com- 
mission, whose  membership  on  such  Com- 
mission will  cease  when  they  retire  from  the 
offices  which  they  now  hold,  and  in  this  rec- 

1      ommendation  I 

would  respectfully 
ask  the  concurrence 
of  your  honorable 
body. 

"  To  secure  stabil- 
ity in  the  Chairman- 
ship of  the  Commis- 
sion and  to  keep 
it  unaffected  liy  the 
frequent  changes 
among  holders  of 
public  office,  as  well 
as  to  recognize  tire- 
less and  patriotic  de- 
votion to  Chicago,  I 
have  named  as 


Chairman  a  leader  in  the  Plan  movement, 
who  is  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club. ' ' 
Three  days  later,  on  November  4,  1909, 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  was  held  in  the  City  Coun- 
cil Chambers.  The  Chairman  in  his  open- 
ing address  to  the  Commission  outlined 


ORIGIN    OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


79 


the  task  of  the   organization  by   saying: 

"  The  duty  \r\nc\\  has  been  imposed  upon 
us  is: 

"  To  take  up  tliis  question  to  the  end  that 
tlie  wliole  city  and  all  elements  in  it  may  be 
fully  informed  as  to  what  is  contemplated 
in  this  plan  for  the  future,  so  that  an  offi- 
cial plan  of  Chicago  may  be  produced  that 
will  have  the  endorsement  and  support  of 
the  entire  municipality. 

"  These  sentences  announce  the  platform 
u])on  which  we  stand  and  designate  the  task 
which  our  fellow  citizens  will  expect  us  to 
accomplish. 

"The  plan 
to  be  adopted 
by  this  Com- 
mission must 
b  e  a  s  much 
for  the  bene- 
fit of  the 
great  "West 
Side  as  for 
t  h  e  N  o  r  t  h 
Side  or  the 
South  Side; 
it  must  com- 
prehend the 
needs      of 

every  district  and  every  locality  from  Jef- 
ferson to  West  Pullman  and  from  Heges- 
wich  to  Rogers  Park. 

"We  have  arrived  at  a  stage  in  our  city's 
life  which  requires  the  formulation  and 
adoption  of  a  plan  for  the  orderly,  s^'stem- 
atic  and  beautiful  development  of  our  city 
commercially,  industrially  and  esthetically. 

"With  the  growth  of  the  country  tribu- 
tary to  Chicago  and  with  the  enormous  de- 
velopment within  the  industrial  zone  of 
Chicago,  still  almost  in  its  infancy,  the 
ratio  of  increase  in  population  should  be 
even  greater  in  the  future  than  in  the  past, 
and  with  such  an  increase  Ihere  will  surelv 


arise  an  irresistible  demand  for  increased 
and  better  public  utilities,  for  finer  public 
improvements,  more  comfort,  better  provi- 
sions for  rational  recreation  and  enjoy- 
ment and  for  more  beautiful  surroundings 
generally. 

"If  we,  during  the  coniiug  years,  should 
expend  no  more  on  civic  improvements  than 
we  have  done  in  the  past,  we  shall  never- 
theless accomiilish  vastly  more  if  an  offi- 
cial plan  of  Chicago  be  adojited.  In  this 
way  we  will  make  each  year's  work  fit  into 
the  plan  as  part  thereof,  so  that  finally  we 

shall  have  a 
city  as  fa- 
mous for  its 
beauty  as  it 
now  is  for  its 
grit  and  en- 
ergy. 

"if  we  shall 
hope  to  have 
the  p 1  a  n 
adopted  we 
must  take  the 
people  fully 
into  our  con- 
fidence.    We 

Modern   Athens  and  Mt.   Lycabettus.  m  U  S  t      offer 

them  a  feasible  and  practical  plan.  We 
must  explain  just  what  we  propose  doing 
and  how  it  can  be  done.  We  nuist  prove  to 
our  fellow  citizens  that  a  good  plan,  sys- 
tematically and  carefully  carried  out,  will 
be  a  commercial  asset  of  great  value  and 
will  make  our  city  more  habitable,  more 
comfortable  and  healthier  for  ourselves  and 
for  our  children.  As  soon  as  the  citizens 
of  Chicago  realize  the  full  imjiortance  of 
these  advantages  we  may  safely  leave  it  to 
them  to  provide  ways  and  means  for  carry- 
ing out  tlie  plan  in  its  full  scope. 

"This  work  if  accomplished  will  mark  a 
third  epocli  in  the  history  of  Chicago,  the 


HO 


\V,\(  K'l  i;S    ,\rANr.\l-    Ol'   'IIIK    I'LAX    OF   CIirCAGO 


l.wii  <  it  her  jjji'f'iil  cpocliH  Ijcih^'  flic  robiiildiii^' 
ol'  diM'  <'ily  (il'lci-  llic  (ir(!  dl"  IH7I  ;itiil  IIk; 
iTfiilion  III'  llii'  Woi'M'h  ()r)liiiMlii;ii]  lOxposi- 
liiiii  ill  IHD;;,  IIii'  ;'|-;iiiiI<'sI  IIic  svorlil  li;is 
(•\  IT  v\  iliic(,:;c(l. 

"Our  l;i:  I;   is  imlml  •■rrjil   nml  iliriiciill, 

yrl    llnl    ill    ;ill  so  S('Clllillv;l>    llii|il'l<'SS  JIH  WIIH 

Id  dill'  rjiihcrs  llic  |iiiilili'iii  III'  ri'lmilijiii^  n 
I(II\l;<"  I'll  V  liiiil  ill  jislii's  ;iiiil  1)1'  IT  csliililiHli- 
i  II  If  (I  iiiiiiii' ;iiiil  ii  i'nrl  iiiir  s\\  r|il  ;i\\;iv  d\'or 
iii;;iil  liv  liic. 

"'I'iii'  I pli'  df  iiic  I'liilcij  SIjiIcs  111  \.\w. 

I  III r  I  lie  l'';iir  111'  IS!).'!  wiilcln'il  diir  crritrls 

Willi    llliirr    d|-    li':;s    iiciirSdlcii  I    ilnlilils    .•|||il 

lliiHiU'ivIliK'H,  Inil    III 

(liiy  our  f,i'''iil<'i'  -'n 

|iii'iilidiis    .'iml     I'l' 

I'lirls      lll'i'      liM)|;i'il 

lljiiill    mill    I'lillnw ni 

('\  ITV  W  IliTC      ill      .'III 

mil  irl  \        1  Ii  rrcrcul 

S|Mlil." 

N  d  w  w  I-  1 1  .'I  \'  (' 
Ic.'irili'il  juiiiii'l  liiii;;' 
dl'  lidW  I  III'  (  'liir;\!Vd 
riiiii      ( 'diiiiiiissidii 

WIIS    dr!V!llli/.(>ll    MIllI 

w  li;il  its  inissidii  is. 

Wo  .shdlllll  Know  .'1  .si.Miii,  llaly.  Tills  Sllli.ni<-tt,- 
1  •  1  i  1  1  11  ■  1  llMltnu  'rii\r-jis  ill 

llltll<    (lllOIlt     lldW     it 

i'!in  ii>s  dii  ils  w  dik.  'I'lic  ( 'lii.';iiv>>  l'l;ni  <  'diii 
mission  us  const  it  ulrtl  is  'vuiiii'il  in  in;in\  dl' 
ils  tii'livitii's  liy  siiii'iiostioiis   frdni   its   I'a 
ociiti\(>  CdiniiiitliH'.  whicli  jnis  tw.Mily  niiid 
MU'inluM-s,  ;in«I  of  wiiifli  tlio  ('lininnan  oi'  llic 
Coininission  is  llio  lit>)ul.     All  ilic  iiniHM'tnnI 
polifios  of  llio  (\umnissioii  jirc  disciisst'il  nl 
llu>  iiiooliuiis  of  tlio  MxiHMitivo  (\>nunilloo, 
nml  t\{  its  sessions  tiro  roju-liod  llu<  doi'isions  I 
wliii'li  tilTocI  {iml  >;ui<lo  tho  proj»Tess  of  tlio 
work  o(  city  pljmiiiiig. 

It  is  tho  policy  of  (ho  Coiuiuission  in  con- 
si*lcriuj>'  I  ho  various  phases  of  its  work  in 
rotation  to  tho  coiuplolod  plan  of  (lie  future 


city  Id  have  arriiilc  discnssion  at  its  se.ssions 
dl'  all  siilijocts  with  wliicli  it  deals.  Its  mem- 
hers  liein;,'  drawn  fi-oni  all  parts  of  the  city 
jind  i'cpi'"sentin.n'  all  Hie  f^rcat  divisions  of 
t  rade,  "  a  in  il'acl  mini;,  cdinmerce  and  profes- 
sional efloi't  which  encompass  Chicago's 
greatness,  the  Commission  is  proving  e. 
great  inciting  pot  of  ideas  of  civic  advance. 
II  is  a  great  deliberative  body,  whose  poli- 
cies once  decided  can  lie  relied  npon  as  tlie 
right  diics,  bccmisc  they  represent  tlio  es- 
sential dl'  the  \ital  elenieiits  which  combine 
to  produce  t heal l-cdiupiering Chicago si)irit. 
When  siiriicicnl  time  had  elapsed  for  the 
Cdinmission  to 
thoi'oughly  study 
the  ]ilan  and  gain 
intimate  knowledge 
of  the  great  task  of 
actually  promot- 
ing the  work  of  tlie 
p  Ian,  its  otTicers 
w  e  r  e  confronted 
with  the  need  of  a 
ilireclor  trained  in 
the  work  of  organ- 
izing and  promot- 
ing large  projects, 

or   T.nvors   l.s   Olinrni-lorlslii'   of  riul  Oil  JailUai'V  1.'!, 
Ilio   MMillo  .\,;os.  1,11  1  •     1  "  1 

I'm,  ap]idiiitea  a 
Managing  Pirector.  Ipoii  taking  ot'lice  the 
hirector  said:  "Naliirally  the  iilan  must 
be  worked  out  ]iiece  by  piece.  Those  who 
ha\e  contemplated  it  as  a  whole  have  said 
'  Impossible."  t'org(>triil  o\'  the  all-important 
I'act  that  e\ery  great  stnicture  must  first 
lia\e  a  plan  before  it  can  be  reared  stone 
by  stone.  The  idea  as  cmitained  in  ihe  plan 
for  creating  onlcr  out  o\l  chaos  in  Chicago 
should  be  taken  np  by  the  entire  clergy  of 
tlio  city,  all  school  teacliers  in  public,  pa- 
rochial and  private  schools,  by  the  jiro- 
fossors  in  all  departments  of  our  colleges, 
by  clerks  in  stores  and  ollices.  by  factorv 


ORIGIN    OF   THE   PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


81 


employes  and  laltorers  of  all  classes.  Every 
Cliicag'oan,  iieigliI)or  to  neighboi",  should 
catch  the  Chicago  Plan  spirit  and  talk  about 
it.  It  is  the  one  Chicago  issue  that  all  Clii- 
cago  can  and  should  unite  on — a  non-paiii- 
san,  non-i)olitical  business  plan  to  hanno^ 
nize  some  of  the  loveliness  and  unloveliness 
of  physical  Chicago,  an  idea  to  make  a  prac- 
tical, beautiful  piece  of  finished  fabric  out 


we  have  made  are  natural  and  perhaps, 
therefore,  i)ardonal)le,  for  we  have  been  a 
busy  city,  l)uilding  up  a  strong  foundation 
for  commercial  and  industrial  sui)i-eniacy. 
That  accomplished,  Chicago  can  no  longer 
find  a  reasona])le  excuse  to  ignore  hor 
great  obligation  in  the  matter  of  adequate 
pul)lic  improvements.  It  is  not  only  the 
duty  of  every  citizen  to  help  make  his  city 


CHICAGO.  General  Map  Showins  Topography,  Waterways  and  Complete  system  of  Streets, 
Boulevards,  Parkways  and  Parks.  The  Parkways  and  Parks  Encircle  the  City.  Thev  are  Placed 
in  Relation  to  the  Radiating  Arteries  and  Increase  in  Area  in  Proportion  to  Their  Distance  From 
the  Center  (Green).  Also  Showing  Railroads  (Red),  the  Proposed  Harbors  at  the  Mouths  ot  the 
Chicago  and  Calumet  Rivers  and  the  Location  of  Outlying  Townships.  Tile  Elevation  of  the  Ground 
is    Shown    by   Increasing    Depth    in    Color    (Orange)  From    the   Center  of   the   City. 

[Copyrighted    by    the    Commercial    Club.] 


of  Chicago's  crazy  quilt.  Chicago  in  many 
respects  is  the  admiration  of  the  world,  and 
likewise  the  world  wonder  of  the  past  half 
century.  Notwithstanding  our  marvelous 
])usiuess  enterprise,  unparalleled  trans])or- 
tation  facilities,  unexcelled  geographical 
location,  center  of  education,  center  of  con- 
structive art,  center  of  niusic,  center  of  sci- 
ence— with  all  these  advantages,  physical 
Chicago  has  been  neglected.    The  mistakes 


a  clean  and  comfortable  place  in  which  to 
live,  while  he  is  estalilishiii.g  his  business 
and  making  money,  but  incidentally  it  is  a 
splendid  })usiness  investment  to  make  his 
city  so  attractive  to  every  one,  both  resi- 
dent and  non-resident,  that  some  of  the  mil 
lions  of  money  spent  elsewhere  each  year 
will  remain  at  home." 

There  is  another  and  deeper  motive  in 
planning  for  the  future  greatness  of  the 


82 


WACKER'S   MANUAL    OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


city  than  its  splendid  material  upbuilding. 
This  is  of  significance  only  as  it  expresses 
the  actual  social,  intellectual  and  moral 
upbuilding  of  the  people,  and,  so  far  as, 
in  turn,  it  opens  the  way  for  further  de- 
velopment of  this  higlier  type.  City  build- 
ing means  man  building.  Who  is  there 
among  us  who  is  not  lifted  above  sordid  in- 
dustrial existence  into  the  realm  of  the 
beautiful  and  ennobling  things  in  life  by 
attractive  surroundings!  Beautiful  parks, 
fine  monuments,  well  laid  out  streets,  prop- 
erly lighted,  paved  and  amply  provided 
with  shade  trees,  relief  from  noise,  dirt  and 
confusion — all  these  things  and  many  others 
contemplated  in  the  Plan  of  Chicago  are 
agencies  that  make  not  only  for  the  future 
greatness  of  the  city  but  the  happiness  and 
prosperity  of  all  the  people  within  our  gates. 
The  ideal  of  a  city  must  rise  above  mere 
commercial  and  industrial  supremacy,  tak- 
ing the  higher  gi-ound  of  becoming  an  at- 
tractive, composite  home  for  its  residents 
both  of  large  and  small  means,  as  well  as 
for  the  stranger  within  its  gates.  Such  a 
city  would  not  only  attract  a  multitude  of 
people  seeking  a  homo,  offering  all  the  best 
advantages  of  city  life,  but  would  also  re- 
tain that  class  of  residents  who  go  abroad 
for  such  advantages,  spending  millions  of 
dollars  in  Paris,  Berlin  and  London,  and 
other  famously  attractive  foreign  cities. 
While  the  wealthier  class  of  citizens  in  any 
community  can  build  up  beautiful  residence 


sections  on  well  laid  out  avenues  and  boule- 
vards, what  will  become  of  those  who  have 
neither  organization  nor  money  to  aid  them 
in  intelligently  i)hnniing  the  most  meagre 
comforts  of  ordinary  home  surroundings? 
The  interests  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  most 
unfortunate  districts  must  be  safeguarded 
beyond  anything  else,  for  they  and  their 
children  form  the  l)ackbone  of  the  intelli- 
gent American  lal;oring  class.  No  other 
plan  of  any  other  city,  foreign  or  otherwise, 
so  thorough.ly  provides  for  equal  benefits 
and  comforts  of  all  classes  as  does  the  Chi- 
cago Plan. 

The  energy  with  which  the  Cliicago  Plan 
Commission  undertook  its  work  for  better- 
ment is  shown  by  the  fact  that  on  Novem- 
ber 16,  1909,  less  than  two  weeks  after  it 
was  created,  the  Commission  took  up  the 
first  great  task  of  its  career — the  widening 
of  Twelfth  Street,  about  which  we  will 
learn  in  another  chapter.  This  work,  when 
completed,  will  I'esult  in  making  a  liroad 
thoroughfare  from  the  lake  front  reaching 
through  the  very  center  of  Chicago's  poini- 
lation. 

1.  Wliat  was  th(    thoughf  of  a  powerful  nth  r 

in  impruuiiKj  a  city.' 

2.  Give  three  reasons  win/  the  imperial  way  af 

city  hiiihiing  is  impossible  in  luofhrii 
times. 

.').  How  was  tin  Plan  of  Chicago  originated  or 
inspiri  il .' 

J.  In  what  i>i  riod  icas  I  In  Plan  of  Chicago  in- 
spire (I .' 


.^5^-^- 


CHICAGO  View  of  the  Citv  from  Jackson  Park  to  Grant  Park.  The  Proposed  Shore  Treatment  as  a  Park. 
Enclosing  a  Waterwav  (or  a  Series  of  Lagoons)  is  Shown.  Together  with  the  Yaclit  HarVor,  Recreation  Piers  and 
a  Scheme  for  Grant  Park.      [Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


ORIGIN    OF   THE   PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


83 


5.  What  did  ihc  men  who  originalid  the  Plan 

of    Chitayo    tiarn    and    S(u    dnrinij    the 
World's  Fair? 

6.  What   other   club    started   an   independent 

)nove)nei)t  for  a  plan  while  the  Commer- 
cial Clnb  Commillce  was  working? 

7.  In  what  year  iverc  the  plans  entirely  forma- 

latedf 

8.  In  what  year  did  the  Commercial  Clnb  and 

the  Merchants'  Club  unite? 

9.  Under  what  name  did  the  two  clubs  unite? 


Jo.  What  ivas  d(ci<hd  as  a  restiU  of  ojiinstl  with 
the  city  authorities? 

J  I.  Of  what  was  it  decided  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  should  be  composed? 

l.'i.  On  what  date  and  in  what  y(ar  did  the 
Mayor  of  Chicago  send,  a  missage  to  the 
Cily  Council  seeking  anihorily  to  appoint 
I  lie  Chicago  Plan  Commission? 

Id.  M'hat  did  the  Mayor  say  that  necessary 
expenditures  for  public  iiiijirovements 
should  serve  front  yiar  to  year? 


i#ii: 


i^i 


y 


-K 


"<_ 


l{?N44t 


4t 


-y 


M-K  »*.,  f-lfuillJ  .1  ti  i^~  rr.    --i-r    -t-i-r      i-i  .1  L)     i_   11    il    I  .1  mm    in        _     i^  ,  J  i^- 


L*-^: 


a 


111 


i 


R> 


^;;^  ■ 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  a  Complete  System  of  Street  Circulation  and  System  of  Parks  anrl 
Playgrounds.  Presenting  tlie  City  as  an  Organism  in  Whicli  all  the  Functions  are  Related  One 
to  Another. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


10 


11 


In  u'Jiaf  year  did  the  Commercial  Club  give 
the  completed  Plan  af  Chicago  It)  the 
world  ? 
How  and  when  was  the  Plan  of  Chicago 
ready  for  submission  to  the  citizens? 
13.  After  years  of  study  and  hard  work  on  the 
Plan  of  Chicago  by  the  Commercial  Club 
members,  what  was  it  that  became  evident 
to  the  leaders  of  the  agitation? 


18. 


19. 


What  did  ihi  Mayir  say  of  the  inanui  r  in 
wliirli  th(  Cliiedijii  Plan  lidd  In  <  n  ffiroiu- 
laUd? 

What  did  the  Mayor  say  about  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  not  being  prcscnteel  as  a  scheme 
for  spending  untold  millions  of  dollars? 

What  did  the  Mayor  say  about  the  relation- 
ship of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  to  other  pro- 
posed commercial  or  industrial  projects? 


84 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


2U.   ^\'hat  did  the  Mayor  say  first  about  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  not  being  an  artist's  dream f 

21.  How  did  the  Mayor  express  himsdf  on  the 

Chicago  Plan  as  not  contemplating  the 
remodeling  of  Chicago  in  a  y<ar  or  a 
decade  ? 

22.  In  seeking  aufhurity  to  appoint  the  Chicago 

Plan  Commission,  what  did  the  Mayor  say 
its  duty  should  be? 

23.  On  what  date  and  in  what  year  was  the  Chi- 

cago Plan  Commission  appointed? 

24.  How  many  hading  men  of  Chicago  made  vp 


Arch  of  Septimus  Severus,  Rome. 

the  first  membership  of  the  Chi- 
cago Plan  Commission  ? 
2.').  What  did  the  Mayor  say  in  his  sec- 
ond message  to  the  City  Council 
concerning  the  duties  of  the  Chi- 
cago Plan  Commission? 

26.  What  did  the  Mayor  say  about  the 

membership  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission? 

27.  What  provision  did  the  Mayor  male 

to  secure  at  all  times  adequate 
representation  on  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission  of  the  city  gov- 
ernment and  all  other  locally  in- 
terested  governmental   agencies.' 

28.  On   what   date  and  where  teas  the 

first  meeting  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Comm issio n  held ? 

29.  What  did  the  Chairman  say  in  his 

first  address  to  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  about  the  plan  to  be 
adopted  by  the  Commission? 


oO.   Wliat  did  the  Chairman  say  about  our  city's 
life? 

31.  What  did  the  Chairman  say  would  follow  the 

enormous  development  within  the  indus- 
trial zone  of  Chicago? 

32.  If  an  official  Plan  of  Chicago  be  adopted, 

what  would  be  the  result  during  the  com- 
ing years  as  compared  with  the  past? 

33.  What  were  the  two  great  epochs  in  the  his- 

tory of  Chicago,  besides  the  third  one, 
laying  the  foundation  for  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago ? 

34.  By  what  is  the  Chicago  Plan  Com- 
mission guided  in  many  of  its  ac- 
tivities? 

35.  What  is  discussed  at  meetings  of  the 
E.cecutive  Committee  and  what 
decisions  are  readied? 

36.  From  where  are  the  members  of  the 
Commission  drawn  and  what  do 
they  represent? 

37.  What  is  the  Commission  proving  to 
be? 

38.  Why  can  the  policies  of  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission  be  relied  upon 
as  the  right  ones? 

39.  Of  what  have  those  been  forgetful 
who  have  said  the  plan  teas  impos- 
sible? 

40.  What  is  intended  to  be  accomplished 
through  various  means  of  public- 
ity? 

41.  By  ivhom  should  the  idea  for  creat- 


Temple  of  Vesta,   Rome. 


ORIGIN    OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


85 


iiig  urdt  r  out  of  chaos  in  Chuago  he 
taken  up' 

42.  Baving   huilt    up   a  strong  foundation   for 

commercial  and  industrial  supremacy,  of 
wJiat  can  Chicago  no  longer  find  a  rea- 
sonable excuse? 

43.  What  is  another  and  deeper  motive  in  city 

plauning  than  meiterial  upbuilding,  and 
what  is  its  significance? 

44.  What  docs  city  building  mean? 

45.  What  is  the  effect  upon  us  of  attractive  sur- 

roundings? 

4(i.  What  an  the  agencies  that  male  for  flu  fu- 


ture gnaliuss  of  tin   cily  and  the  happi- 
ness and  prosperity  of  all  the  people? 

47.  What  must  the  ideal  of  a  city  rise  above,  and 

what  higlur  ground  should  it  lake? 

48.  Why  should  Ihi   inl(  rests  of  the  inhabitants 

of  till  most  unfortunate  districts  be  safe- 
guarded beyond  anything  else? 

49.  Why  is  the  Chicago  Plan  sujxrior  to  that  of 

any  other  city,  foreign  or  otherwise? 

')<).  How  is  the  energy  witli  which  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission  undirtook  its  work 
shown? 

5J.  What  will  tliis  work  nsult  in  when  com- 
pleted? 


SG 


WACKERS   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  X 


THE  COMMERCIAL  POSSI- 
BILITIES OF  A  PLAN 
FOR  CHICAGO 

An  event  of  historical  interest  and  im- 
portance to  the  City  of  Chicago  occurred 
on  the  evening-  of  January  8,  1910,  of  great 
worth  in  promoting  the  work  of  the  newly 
appointed  Plan  Commission.  On  that  date 
the  Commercial  Club  of  Chicago  tendered  a 
dinner  to  and  in  honor  of  the  Commission. 
The  general  subject  of  the  meeting  was 
"The  Presentation  of  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago. ' '  Speaking  to  this  subject,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Commercial  Club,  in  his  intro- 
ductory remarks,  said : 

"This  meeting  is  to  commemorate  the 
presentation  by  the  Commercial  Club  of  the 
Plan  of  Chicago  to  the  citizens  of  Chicago. 
The  Plan  is  Chicago 's  message  to  the  world 
that  the  indomitable  energy  that  builded 
Chicago  in  a  generation  is  still  our  energy ; 
that  the  genius  that  created  the  unrivalled 
beauty  of  the  world's  greatest  fair  is  still 
our  genius,  and,  above  all,  that  the  spirit 
that  has  made  progress  the  symbol  of  our 
commercial  life,  has  stamped  "I  Will" 
upon  the  progress  of  our  civic  life.  City 
planning  is  coming  to  be  more  and  more 
recognized  as  an  important  and  national 
factor  in  the  betterment  of  civic  conditions 


and  the  Plan  of  Chicago  has  already  com- 
manded world  wide  attention.  The  plan  is 
a  great  constructive  work.  It  is  practical, 
sane  and  efficient,  and  knows  neither  the 


Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  Famous  English 
Architect,  Who  Prepared  a  Plan  for  tlie  Rebuilding 
of  the  City  of  London  After  the  Great  Fire  That 
Destroyed  It  in  IGtiG. 

untenantable  heights  of  irrational  fancy  and 
extravagance,  nor  the  constricted  depths 
of  parsimony  and  self-interest.  It  is  a  gos- 
pel of  common  sense  which  sees  loss  in  hap- 
hazard building  and  economy  in  well  or- 
dered construction.    To  properly  direct  the 


zy.ei-^a 


|:  p-'/vi^jV'i 


CHICAGO.      Bird's   Eye   View   Looking   Northeast   from   the   Corner   of   Jacksim    Buuluvard  and  Dearborn    Street. 


THE   (COMMERCIAL   POSSIBILITIES   OF   A   PLAN   FOR   CHICAGO 


87 


expeiiditi;res  of  the  vast  snins  that  are  now 
and  will  continue  to  be  spent  on  Chicago's 
improvements  is  its  primar}"  aim." 

The  first  speaker,  responding  to  the  sub- 
ject, "The  Broader  Aspects  of  City  Plan- 
ning," said: 

"Cliieago  is  far  closer  in  spirit  to  the 
great  territory  which  it  dominates  than  is 
Paris  or  London  or  New  York.  Every  con- 
ceivable geographical  area  has  its  metrop- 
olis or  capital,  and  of  that  territory  bound 
on  the  East  by  the  Appalachians  and  on  the 
West  by  the  Eocky  Mountains,  Chicago  is 
more  truly  a  capital  than  she  has  ever  been. 
\Miat  Chicago  plans  and  executes  will  de- 
termine to  what  extent  the  comfort,  the 
pleasure  and  the  pride  of  our  mighty  in- 
land empire  shall  be  satisfied.  A  hundred 
million  of  people  will  soon  look  to  this  city 
as  their  capital,  their  center  in  which  to 
trade,  to  hear  miisic,  to  see  pictures,  to  en- 
joy themselves.  This  places  a  high  respon- 
sibilitj'  upon  the  men  who  control  pulilic 
and  private  business  in  Chicago.  They 
have  instinctively  recognized  that  responsi- 
liility  from  the  date  of  the  first  settlement 
here.  This  dinner  marks  a  great  event  in 
our  civic  history,  for  the  responsibility  for 
the  development  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago 
passes  tonight  literally  into  the  hands  of  the 
City  of  Chicago.  The  Chicago  Plan  Com- 
mission, In  the  truest  and  best  sense,  repre- 
sents the  people  of  this  city.  Public  confi- 
dence must  be  secured  ward  by  ward,  street 
by  street.  The  people  must  be  shown  what 
the  Plan  of  Chicago  means  to  them,  so  that 
there  may  be  had  an  irresistible  public 
opinion  behind  this  great  movement.  Ui^on 
recognition  of  this  great  opportunity  de- 
pends to  a  large  extent  the  respect  and  re- 
gard not  merely  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago 
but  of  the  millions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley 
who  are  thus  being  indirectly  served.  The 
Commission  should  not  be  bound  in  its  vi- 


sion of  what  it  may  accoiiijilish  ))y  anytliing 
which  has  been  accomi)lislied  in  the  ])ast. 
The  Plan  of  Chicago  offers  a  closely  rea- 
soned, carefully  studied,  well  balanced 
solution  which  provides  generously  alike 
for  all  the  community.  This  plan,  or  some 
equally  well  reasoned,  well  studied  plan, 
should  be  adopted.  Full  development  of 
public  opinion  will  mean  that  the  first  giant 
stride  toward  a  in'ojier  civic  development 
will  have  been  made. ' ' 

Following  this  speaker,  the  Chairman  of 
the  Conunission,  sjieaking  on  the  topic, 
"The  Economical  and  Conmiercial  Fea- 
tures of  the  Chicago  Plan,"  said: 

"Aside  from  the  aesthetic  and  hygienic 
value  an  orderly,  systematic  and  beautiful 
development  of  our  city  will  produce,  the 
commercial  asset  is  of  incalculable  value.  In 
the  sixty  days  between  June  1  and  July  31, 
1909, 17,343  Americans  registered  at  the  25 
leading  hotels  in  Paris.  It  is  a  low  estimate 
to  assume  that  the  hundreds  of  other  liostel- 
ries  in  the  French  capital  lodged  atleastlO,- 
OCO  more.  At  the  moderate  estimate  of  300 
francs  ($00.00)  a  head,  this  makes  8,202,800 
francs  ($1,640,500.00)  spent  by  Americans 
in  two  months'  time,  but  this  is  for  hotels 
alone.  If  each  visitor  went  twice  to  a 
theatre,  considered  a  moderate  estimate,  it 
would  amount  to  250,000  francs  ($50,000.00) 
more.  Five  hundred  thousand  francs  ($100,- 
000.00)  was  probably  s]ient  in  Paris  restau- 
rants, while  calculating  their  cab  fare  at  10 
francs  ($2.00)  a  head,  273,430  francs  ($54,- 
686.00)  was  expended  for  locomotion.  Here 
we  have  a  total  of  close  to  $2,000,000  ex- 
pended by  Americans  for  their  daily  sus- 
tenance and  a  few  of  their  daily  amuse- 
ments. No  account  at  all  is  made  of  the 
purchase  of  clothing,  jewelry,  objects  of  art 
and  other  things  which  our  countrymen 
bring  home  in  such  abundance  every  year. 
Would  it  not  be  a  profitable  investment  for 


88 


WACKEirS   MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


Cliicayo  to  be  in  a  position  to  attract  at  least 
a  ]iart  of  this  travel  from  other  parts  of  the 
United  States,  even  from  other  parts  of  the 
world?  Making  a  good  investment  liy  mak- 
ing a  city  both  convenient  and  attractive  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  the  Paris  Chamber 
of  Depnties  on  December  28,  1909,  anthor- 
ized  the  Paris  mnnicipality  to  contract  for  a 
loan — mark  a  loan — of  900,000,000  francs 
($180,000,000.00)  for  an  elaborate  scheme  of 
improvements,  including  the  demolition  of 
unsanitary  quarters,  the  const  ruction  of  new 


at  least  $50.00  for  accommodations,  food, 
entertainment  and  general  shopping  pur- 
poses, which,  figured  on  the  basis  of  Novem- 
ber figures,  amounts  to  $100,000,000.00  a 
month.  The  significance  of  these  figures 
should  be  realized ;  also  the  material  advan- 
tage of  catering  to  the  millions  of  visitors 
who  consider  Chicago  their  objective  center. 
As  a  people  we  have  the  reputation  of  being 
practical  in  everything  we  undertake,  and 
this  reputation  we  want  to  maintain.  Too 
often,  however,  we  make  up  our  minds  to 


VIENNA.      Bird 


streets,  gardens  and  schools  and  for  other 
changes  in  i^ublic  works. 

Eeliable  statistics  of  the  year  1909  stated 
that  the  amount  of  money  spent  in  New 
York  by  out  of  town  visitors  every  year  has 
now  reached  a  sum  where  it  surpasses  the 
estimated  cost  of  the  Panama  Canal.  During 
the  month  of  November  of  that  year.  Father 
Knickerbocker  entertained  nearly  2,000,000 
out  of  town  visitors.  As  nearly  as  can  l)e 
computed,  the  average  visitor  there  spends 


Vifw   ul'   the   City. 

do  things  without  giving  them  sufficient  in- 
vestigation. All  propositions  of  imi)or- 
tance,  whether  economical,  financial  or 
otherwise,  should  first  receive  most  careful 
consideration  and  study  by  experts  and  men 
of  broad  and  practical  experience,  as  was 
done  in  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  and  is  the  in- 
variable rule  in  all  progressive  countries  of 
Europe.  We  should  learn  to  profit  by  the 
experience  of  others.  We  should  emulate 
the  examples  of  Paris,  Dnsseldorf,  Vienna, 


THE   CO^niERCIAL  POSSIBILITIES   OF   A   PLAN   FOR   CHICAGO 


89 


I 


and  Berlin  ami  iK)t  niako  llie  mistake  Lou- 
don made  after  the  destructive  fire  in  1666, 
when  the  ample  and  far-sighted  plans  of  Sir 
Christopher  AVren  were  adojtted  Imt  never 
carried  out.  That  opjiortunity  will  never 
return  to  London,  and  whatever  may  be 
done  in  the  future  will  have  to  be  done  at 
enovmons  expense.  Cliica.ii'o's  golden  op- 
port  nnily  is  now  at  hand.  Today  all  the  im- 
portant features  of  the  ]ilnn  can  be  carried 
out  at  a  comparatiA'ely  small  cost.  The 
longer  we  delay  the  more  expensive  it  will 
become  and  many  things  now  iiractical  will 
be  made  impossible.  Today  the  future  of 
Chicago  rests  upon  a  foundation  so  solid 
that  we  may  safely  provide  for  its  future  in 
a  most  adequate  and  comprehensive  man- 
ner. With  the  center  of  population  of  the 
United  States  but  a  few  miles  beyond  the 
state  line  of  Indiana  to  the  south,  Cliicago  is 
today  the  greatest  center  and  distributing- 
point  of  the  United  States.  This,  in  connec- 
tion with  our  location,  will  cause  Chicago's 
growth  in  tbe  future  to  surprise  the  most 
sanguine.  The  changing  conditions  of  life 
in  this  country  as  elsewhere,  demand  now 
more  than  ever  that  intelligent  action  be 
taken  to  improve  the  conditions  of  living  in 
our  cities.  The  adoption  of  a  plan  along  the 
lines  we  have  suggested  will  have  a  most  im- 
portant bearing  upon  the  inauguration  of 
hygienic  measures  for  the  benefit  of  our  cit- 
izens. However,  the  consideration  of  this 
side  of  the  question  must  1)e  left  to  experts, 
whose  duty  it  should  l)e  to  ascertain  the 
causes  of  distress  and  illness,  recommend 
preventative  measures,  and  suggest  means 
for  disseminating  knowledge  of  the  results 
so  ascertained  which,  when  thoroughly  un- 
derstood, will  awaken  a  great  demand  for 
the  necessary  legislation  to  remedy  the  ill 
conditions  shown  to  exist,  and  to  provide 
for  more  public  aid.  We  must  not  overlook, 
however,  the  fact  that  imin'ovements  indi- 


cated in  the  plan  creating  more  streets, 
more  parks  and  better  surroundings  genei-- 
ally  will  l)e  a  strong  object  lesson  to  all  our 
citizens  to  secure  and  maintain  cleaner  and 
more  beautiful  surroundings  in  their  own 
home. ' ' 

The  closing  speaker  at  this  notable  din- 
ner of  the  Commercial  Club  of  Chicago  to 
the  Chicago  Plan  Commission,  said: 

"Chicago  stands  without  a  ):)arallel  in  the 
history  of  the  world;  second  in  population 
on  this  continent  and  soon  to  be  the  first ; 
fourth  in  population  of  the  cities  of  the 
earth,  and  to  be  first  within  the  lifetime  of 
men  here  tonight ;  first  in  industrial  activi- 
ties and  the  financial  and  commercial  cen- 
ter of  an  area  larger,  more  productive  and 
with  greater  potentialities  of  population 
than  nations  that  loom  big  in  the  world's 
history — Chicago  has  reached  her  rank  in 
but  little  more  tlian  the  three  score  years 
and  ten  allotted  to  man.  Llere  is  the  great 
crucible  into  which  has  been  poured  people, 
customs  and  traditions  from  a  field  that 
covers  the  earth,  and  from  which  is  emerg- 
ing the  final  prochict  of  ten  centuries  of  po- 
litical struggle — American  democracy.  As 
heir  to  the  ages,  Chicago  is  working  out  the 
problems  of  self  government  and  rights  of 
man  that  had  their  ince])tion  with  the  dawn 
of  history  in  the  forests  of  Friesland  and 
Jutland  and  came  down  to  us  ste]i  by  step 
through  centuries  of  trouble,  always  tri- 
umphant, nevei-  conii)leted. 

"The  physical  au<l  moral  deterioration 
of  the  human  race  under  bad  conditions  of 
city  life  is  one  of  the  great  problems  of  the 
age.  That  city  life  is  producing  a  phys- 
ically and  morally  deficient  life  is  apparent, 
especially  in  old  cities  where  the  process 
has  gone  on  longer.  Chicago's  problem  is 
to  check  this  tendency  before  it  has  a  fixed 
type  of  physical  and  moral  inferiority.  If 
you  will  consult  the  deficient  and  delinquent 


90 


WACKEirS  MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


records  of  Chicago,  as  well  as  tlie  records  of 
l^remature  mortality  in  connection  with  a 
map  of  the  citj^,  you  will  find  certain  black 
spots  on  the  map  representing  districts  in 
which  misery,  vice  and  early  death  seem 
congested.  Go  now  actually  to  that  section 
of  the  city  and  you  will  find  an  unanswer- 
able indictment  of  the  conditions  of  life 
under  which  we  permit  some  of  our  people 
to  exist.  Proper  housing,  proper  sanita- 
tion, air  and  sunlight  are  the  first  rights  of 
humanity,  and  when  we  permit  them  to  be 
denied,  we  must  accept  responsibility  for 
the  inevitable  result. 

' '  Chicago  has  become  what  she  is  through 
individualism.     Men  as  units,  in  striving 


LONDON.      Bird's   K,\u   \'iuw    oi   the   City. 

for  their  own  personal  advancement,  have, 
in  the  aggregate,  produced  that  which  we 
call  Chicago.  Our  growth  and  development 
have  been  natural,  but  without  any  general 
underlying  plan  tending  to  bring  about  an 
harmonious  and  symmetrical  whole,  which 
is  essential  to  the  perfect  development  of 
any  growth. 

"A  Plan  well  thought  out  and  perfectly 


balanced  is  essential  to  the  conduct  of  all 
affairs.  The  tremendous  success  which 
measures  the  acliievement  of  the  great  in- 
dustrial and  commercial  concerns  of  Clii- 
cago  is  not  the  result  of  haphazard  condi- 
tions, but  is  brought  about  as  the  natural 
and  inevitable  result  of  a  thorough  appre- 
ciation before  the  industrial  campaign  is 
begun,  of  exactly  what  it  is  desired  to  ac- 
complish, and  how  it  is  to  be  accomplished. 
In  every  well  ordered  affair  of  life  there  is 
an  underlying  basic  plan,  and  the  success 
or  failure  is  in  close  proportion  to  the  care 
and  skill  with  which  that  plan  is  laid  out. 
In  making  Chicago,  however,  evidence  of 
any  intelligent  foresight,  evidence  of  any 

a  p  p  r  e  c  i  a- 
tion     of     the 
manifest  des- 
t  i  n  y  of  the 
town,     e  V  i  - 
deuce  of  any 
abiding    and 
well  ground- 
ed    faith    in 
the  future  of 
the  commun- 
ity is  lacking 
when  we  be- 
,gin    to    ana- 
lyze the  con- 
ditions under 
w  h  i  c  h     we 
have  grown. 
We   can   in 
the  future  provide  that  new  public  buildings 
and,  so  far  as  we  may  be  able  to  control  by 
advice  or  argument,  large  private  enter- 
]irises  shall  be  builded  and  developed  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  well  digested  scheme  to  be 
worked  to  through  the  ages,  but  when  it 
comes  to  the  laying  out  of  broad  avenues 
through  territory  already  developed,  and 
dedication  of  encircling  streets  for  the  re- 


TIIK    C()M:\IEKCIAL    POSSIBILITIKS    of   a    plan    von    CIIICACiO 


91 


lief  of  traffic  congestion,  wlicn  il  comes  to 
the  planning  of  parks  and  playgrounds  in 
districts  densely  populated,  it  means  tlie 
direct  expenditure  of  mncli  money.  Sucli 
expenditure  is  justifiable;  such  expenditure 
will  return  many-fold  in  profit  to  the  city 
in  the  shape  of  better  conditions  in  living, 
better  iihysical  o])portnnities  for  the  devel- 
opment of  a  strong  and  vigorous  race  of 
man. 


fully  iidI  tlirdugli  the  co-operation  between 
tlic  various  governing  bodies  affected  but 
llii'ongh  the  consolidation  of  such  govern- 
ing bodies  and  the  i)lncing  of  their  forces 
under  the  direction  of  a  single  intelligence. 
"The  Plan  of  Chicago  means  the  City 
Practical.  Dirt,  grime  and  sordid  condi- 
tions are  not  a  part  of  industrial  and  com- 
mercial snccoss.  They  are  rather  evidences 
of  failure  to  grasp  the  fundamental  truth 


NEW   YORK.     Bird's   Eye    View    Looliing    Nortli. 


'  *  One  of  the  clearest  lessons  taught  in  the 
magnificent  Phan  of  Chicago  is  the  absolute 
necessity  for  the  consolidation  of  all  forms 
of  government,  not  merely  within  Chicago, 
but  within  the  territory  lying  about  and 
naturally  a  part  of  the  metropolitan  terri- 
tory of  Chicago.  If  we  are  to  develo]i  a 
metropolitan  area  around  us,  with  an  eye 
single  to  the  coming  years,  when  our  popu- 
lation has  spread  out  over  the  surrounding 
prairies,  we  must  begin  to  lay  out  our  plan 
of  roadways,  boulevards  and  parks,  even 
as  Haussmann  laid  them  out  in  Paris, 
through  fields  and  gardens  that  are  virgin 
of  population,  and  we  can  do  that  success- 


that  men  who  ai-e  happy,  whose  lives  are 
cast  in  pleasant  places,  who  are  clean  of 
body  and  clean  of  mind,  are  the  men  who 
best  do  things. 

"The  industrial  and  commercial  ele- 
ments of  Cliicago,  upon  whicli  its  great  suc- 
cess at  this  time  rests,  are  interested  in  se- 
curing the  most  efficient  labor  with  which  to 
carry  on  their  business  and  the  largest  pos- 
sil)]e  home  market  of  liealthy  and  happy 
customers.  That  which  will  improve  the 
economic  efficiency  of  the  laboring  men  and 
women  of  our  city  will  to  the  same  extent 
add  to  the  industrial  and  commercial  possi- 
bilities of  Chicago.    A  city  built  on  rational 


92 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


and  modern  lines  means  more  of  comfort, 
more  of  health,  more  of  ojjportnnity  for 
physical,  mental  and  moral  development 
for  its  people. 

"As  Bome  rested  upon  her  citizenship, 
so  Chicago's  commercial  and  industrial  su- 
premacy' rests  upon  the  character,  capacity 
and  physique  of  her  industrial  workers,  and 
part  of  the  wealth  created  by  men  who  toil 
through  life  means,  in  any  well  regulated 


8.  ^Yhat  teas  the  subject  of  the  first  speaker's 

address? 

9.  Of  what  tcrritnrij  is  Chicago  truly  tin   cap- 

ital? 

10.  Wliat    does    Chicaejo    determine    when    she 

pla)is  and  executes? 

11.  IIow  many  people  will  soon  look  to  tleis  city 

as  thiir  capital,  and  for  xvhat  purpose? 

12.  ^yhy  did  this  dinner  mark  a  great  event  i)v 

our  civic  Itistory? 

13.  YVhat  does  the   Chicago  Plan   Commission 

represent  in  the  truest  and  best  sense? 


PARIS.     Bird's    Eye    View    of    tlie    City.    Sliowing    tile    World    Famous    Thoroughfare,    the 
Champs  Elysees. 


order  of  affairs,  the  bringing  of  joy  and  the 
securing  of  more  comfort  and  better  oppor- 
tunities to  those  who  produce  such  wealth. ' ' 

1.  What  event  of  historical  interest  and  impor- 

tance to  the  city  of  Chicago  occurred  on 
the  evening  of  January  8,  1910? 

2.  What  was  the  general  subject  of  the  meet- 

ing? 

3.  What  was  said  at  this  meeting  about  the  plan 

in   connection   with  indomitable   energy, 
genius  and  the  "I  WilV  spirit? 

4.  What  is  city  planning  coming  to  be  in  the 

betterment  of  civic  conditions? 

5.  Describe  the  manner  in  ivhich  the  plan  was 

drawn. 

6.  What  is  the  gospel  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

7.  What  is  the  primary  aim  of  the  Plan  of 

Chicago  ? 


li.  How  must  public  confidence  be  secured  and 
wh  y  ? 

15.  What  depends  upon  the  Chicago  Plan  Com- 

mission's recognition  of  its  great  oppor- 
tunity? 

16.  By    irttat    should    the    Commission    not    be 

bound  in  its  vision  of  what  it  may  accom- 
plisli  ? 
IT.  What  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago  offer? 

18.  What  will  full  development  of  public  opin- 

ion mean? 

19.  What  was  the  topic  of  the  second  address? 


20. 


21. 


22 


What  ivill  the  orderly,  systematic  and,  beau- 
tiful development  of  our  city  produce? 

How  many  Americans  registered  at  the  25 
leading  hotels  in  Paris  in  the  60  days  be- 
tween June  1st  and  July  31st,  1909? 

How  many  more  were  lodged  at  the  hun- 
dreds of  other  French  hostelries? 


THE   COMMERCIAL    POSSIBILITIES   OF    A    PLAN    FOR   ClIICACiO 


'Xi 


;?.V.  lloiv  much  did  Aiiuricaiis  spend  in  two 
months'  time  for  holds  alone,  and  how  is 
iliis  amonnt  (sllmatcd' 

21.  How  tniicli  addilional  was  spi  nt  on  theatres? 

2.').  How  much  additional  was  sp(  nt  in  Paris  res- 
taurants^' 

2().  How  much  addilional  was  spent  for  locomo- 
tion in  Paris  hij  ximerican  visitors f 

27.  now  much  was  the  total  amount  expended 

by  Americans  for  their  daily  sustenance 
and  a  few  of  lluir  daily  amusements? 

28.  Of  what  is  no  account  made? 


3(!.  Where  does  Chieayo  stand,  according  to  the 
closing  speaker? 

37.  What  is  one  of  the  yr(at  pr(dil(ins  of  the 
age,  and  what  is  Chicago's  problem? 

.W.  Through  what  has  Chicago  become  whal  she 
has?    Describe  Chicago's  growth. 

o!).  What  is  it  that  measures  the  achievements 
of  the  great  industrial  and  eommerrial 
concerns  of  Chicago,  and  of  what  are 
tliesc  achievements  the  result? 

40.  What  do  we  find  lacking  when  we  begin  to 


t 

\      '^tW^l-A        "    'l^SH 

^^^^Hi 

^ 

BERLIN.      Bird's   Eye   View   of   tlie    City. 


29.  On  December  28,  1909,  what  did  the  Paris 
Cliamber  of  Deputies  authorize  the  Paris 
mu)iicipality  to  do,  and  for  what  pur- 
poses ? 

SO.  What  surpasses  the  (siiinuhd  cost  of  the 
Panama  Canal? 

.il.  How  many  out  of  town  visilors  were  enter- 
tained by  Father  KnieL(  rhoeker  in  No- 
vember, 1909? 

32.  How  mucli  do(  s  the  average  visitor  spend  in 

New  York  for  a<connn(nlations,  food,  en- 
tertainment and  general  .■ihopping  pur- 
poses, and  how  much  does  this  total  for  a 
month  ? 

33.  By  whom  should  all  propositions  of  impor- 

tance be  studied? 

31.  What  examples  should  we  emulate,  and  what 
one  should  we  avoid? 

"r,.  Why  is  immediate  action  necessary  in  carry- 
ing out  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 


41. 
42. 


4to. 

44. 


45. 
4G. 


analyze  the  conditions  und<r  wliieli  wo 
have  grown? 

What  is  one  of  the  ehanst  lessons  tau<ilit 
in  the  magnijic<  iit  Plan  of  Chicago? 

How  can  the  Chicago  Plan  be  carried  out 
successfully  in  developing  a  nulropuli- 
tan  area  with  an  eye  single  to  the  com- 
ing years,  as  Haussmann  laid  out  Paris? 

Wtiat  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago  mean? 

Of  what  are  dirt,  grime  and  sordid  condi- 
tions not  el  jtiirl  ?  Of  leliiil  an  they  an 
evidence? 

What  does  a  city  built  along  rational  and 
modern  lines  )nean? 

Upon  irhat  mu.^t  Chicago's  comnu  reial  and 
industrial  supremacy  rest? 

What  should  part  of  the  wealth  crtaiid  by 
men  who  toil  through  life  mean,  in  any 
well-regulated  order  of  affairs? 


The    World's    Columbian    Exposition.    Chicago.    ]S93.     The    Court    of    Honor. 
Looking    Towards    the    Peristyle. 


9i 


PURPOSE   AND   MEANING   OF   THE    CHICAGO    PLAN 


95 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  PLAN  OF  CHICAGO; 
ITS  PL  RPOSE  AND  iMEAMNG 

The  Plan  of  Chicago,  as  it  has  lieen 
worked  out,  is  a  ytlan  to  direct  the  future 
growth  of  Cliicago  in  a  systematic  and  or- 
derly way.  Its  purpose  is  to  make  Cliicago 
a  real,  centralized  city  instead  of  a  group 
of  overcrowded,  overgrown  villages.  It 
means,  when  it  is  carried  out,  that  Chicago 
will  hold  her  position  among  the  great  cit- 
ies of  the  world,  that  Chicago  is  to  be  given 
opportunities  for  indefinite  growth  in 
wealth  and  commerce,  and  that  Chicago  is 
to  become  the  most  convenient,  healthful 
and  attractive  city  on  earth.  History 
shows  that  this  work  will  give  to  lis,  the 
owners  and  builders  of  Chicago,  world- 
wide fame  that  will  be  everlasting. 

"We  have  seen  that  in  the  history  of  the 
cities  of  the  past  their  building  accord- 
ing to  a  definite  plan  has  had  to  do  chiefly 
with  two  elements,  namely,  congestion, 
which  means  the  crowding  of  large  num- 
bers of  people  into  small  areas ;  and  traffic, 
which  means  the  movement  of  merchandise 
and  ]ieople  from  one  part  of  the  city  to  an- 
other. "We  modern  i)e()ple,  owing  to  the  ad- 
vance in  science  during  our  times,  recog- 
nize another  element  as  of  great  impor- 
tance, namely,  the  creation  and  preserva- 
tion of  conditions  promoting  public  health. 
"We  know  that  if  a  city  is  to  continue  strong 
and  progressive,  or  even  if  it  is  to  continue 
to  exist  at  all,  its  people  must  be  healthy 
and  its  children  robust. 

Above  everything  else,  then,  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  is  concerned  with  our  vital  prob- 
lems of  congestion,  traffic  and  public 
health.  The  plan  will  do  away  with  con- 
gestion in  the  city  and  its  streets,  and  so 
promote  the  health  and  happiness  of  all. 
It  will  make  traffic  easy  and  convenient. 


and  so  make  it  easier  and  cheaper  to  carry 
on  business,  thus  increasing  the  wealth  of 
the  city  and  its  people  faster  than  will  be 
possible  otherwise.  The  plan  will  give  Chi- 
cago more  and  larger  parks  and  play- 
grounds, and  belter  and  wider  streets,  and 
thus  make  the  whole  people  more  healthy 
and  better  able  to  carry  on  the  work  of  com- 
merce and  civilization  in  our  great  city. 

All  over  the  world  today  cities  are  grow- 
ing as  they  never  did  before.  Steam  and 
electric  transportation  have  made  it  easy  to 
transport  food  for  nudtitudes.  Modern 
manufacturing  methods  draw  large  num- 
bers of  men  together  in  cities  to  cheajdy 
produce  clothing,  machinery  and  the  varied 
supplies  men  need  in  their  daily  lives 
throughout  the  world.  No  country  in  the 
world,  however,  has  given  rise  so  rapidly 
to  large  cities  as  the  United  States,  where 
it  was  shown  by  the  census  of  1910  that 
forty  out  of  every  one  hundred  peoj^le  now 
reside  in  cities,  and,  of  these,  twelve  reside 
in  the  three  cities  of  New  York,  Philadel- 
phia and  Chicago. 

Wise  men  who  have  made  a  study  for 
years  of  city  growth  tell  us  that  this  mov- 
ing of  mankind  toward  the  cities  is  oidy 
starting,  and  that  it  is  sure  to  continue, 
probably  with  a  stronger  and  stronger  tide, 
for  many  years  to  come.  At  the  same  time 
other  men  of  science,  devoting  their  lives 
to  a  study  of  the  effect  of  city  life  upon 
humanity,  declare  to  us  that  the  physical 
condition  of  ])eople  in  the  cities,  as  com- 
pared with  the  people  of  the  open  country, 
is  deteriorating.  City  life,  they  say,  saps 
the  energy  of  men,  and  makes  them  less 
efficient  in  the  work  of  life.  The  remedy 
for  this,  they  tell  ns,  lies  in  providing  in- 
creased means  of  open-air  recreation,  bet- 
ter sanitation  in  city  houses,  and  more 
light  and  air  in  city  streets.  The  Plan  of 
Chicago  provides  for  complying  with  this 


96 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF   THE  PLAN   OF  CHICAGO 


imperative    demand.      To    preserve    our- 
selves and  our  city  by  meeting  this  call  for 


ness  instinct  of  our  people.    To  carry  it  out 
means  to  attract  to  our  citv  millions  of  dol- 


MicUgan  Ave 


^§niDGDDssDOHhnDDaDn 
^^nnsaDDDoaDnDDDnnE 


- ^gagg 


JDfflE.^.-. 


CDHDcnvn 


ncnii]C7,inn 
a[7^[i]H~ 


mQiiflQ! 

iimeiitJGi 


DaDraDDsa 


DUDQLIDI 


C5.fnaDD[ 


iu[jU&'';>'i[ziDnj  nnn  nnm 

nnD^fe^gpDBDBnBci 


innaflB 


nnnnDDa 


□nnnn ' 

□LIIJUL  nnnc 


□{7, 


. cjtTiBci'zja 

~1I 11 II — n  CDCD^np- j^-'ca 


3  CDc^eEs;  asQDaaaniDaF:BQBCi?ci:iDQaatiaaan''/fl; 
^BHa  nBaDnna@annDDDD'';tjanDDaani7/!ar: 


^♦^s^A**-  to  Smf-^^<*^  C^mA  £iL^*«-. 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  the  complete  system  of  street  circulation:  railway  sta- 
tions; parks,  boulevard  circuits  and  radial  arteries:  public  recreation  piers: 
yacht  harbor  and  pleasure  boat  piers:  treatment  of  Grant  Park:  the  main  axis 
and  the  Civic  Center,  presenting  the  city  as  a  complete  organism  in  which  all 
its  functions  are  related  one  to  another  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  become 
a  unit. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


Milwaukee  Ave. 


Center  Ave. 


State  St. 


better  health  conditions  is  an  aim  of  the 
Plan  of  Chicago. 

Another  appeal  for  the  adoption  of  the 
Plan  of  Chicago  is  that  made  to  the  busi- 


lars  now  being  spent  every  year  in  otlier 
cities.  "When  we  have  created  a  great  at- 
tractive city  liere  people  will  be  drawn  to 
it  from  all  over  our  country,  as  today  peo- 


PURPOSE   AND    MEANIN(4    OK   Till':    t'llR'AGO    PLAN 


(•7 


]ile  are  attracted  to  Paris.  They  will  visit 
Chicago  with  tlieir  families  and  friends 
and  remain  indefinitely  to  enjoy  tlie  de- 
liglits  of  the  city,  with  vast  resultant  benefit 
to  all  onr  citizens. 

In  drawing  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  the  ar- 
chitects constantly  ke]it  in  mind  the  needs 
of  the  fntnre  city  in  the  three  great  ele- 
ments of  congestion,  traffic  and  public 
health.  They  took  the  city  as  it  has  grown 
up  and  applied  to  it  the  needs  of  the  fntnre 
ill  trans])orfati()n,  in  recreation  and  in  hy- 
giene. 

Because  we  are  a  commercial  people,  and 


live 


m 


a    great    commercial    city,    first 


thought  was  given  to  transportation.  The 
architects'  first  care,  therefore,  was  to  cre- 
ate a  proper  system  of  handling  the  busi- 
ness of  Chicago  in  its  streets,  and  upon  its 
street  railways,  its  steam  railroads  and  its 
water  courses.  The  greatest  ]iart  of  the 
plan,  then,  refers  to  improving  the  existing 
streets,  to  cutting  new  ones  where  neces- 
sary, to  arranging  the  city's  railway  and 
water  terminals  most  effectively,  and  to 
the  fjuick  and  cheap  handling  of  all  the 
business  of  Chicago. 

This  plan  of  transportation  completed, 
the  architects  set  about  a  plan  of  making 
Chicago  more  attractive,  of  providing 
parks  for  the  people  in  the  places  where 
they  should  be  pro\ided,  of  gi\'ing  the  peo- 
ple recreation  grounds  both  within  the  city 
and  in  the  outer  district  nearby,  of  improv- 
ing and  beautifying  the  lake  front  of  the 
city,  and  so  arranging  all  things  that  the 
future  people  of  Chicago  may  be  strong 
and  healthy,  and  so  ambitious  to  extend  the 
fame  and  the  commerce  of  their  city. 

Finally,  in  their  planning,  the  architects 
recognized  the  need  of  giving  the  people  of 
Chicago  a  way  to  express  in  solid  form 
their  progressive  spirit.  The  people  of 
Chicago  have  always  been  prcnid  of  their 


city,  of  its  iin]>o)'tancc  and  ils  power.  The 
architects  strove,  therefore  to  provide  a 
means  whereby  the  civic  pride  and  glory  of 
Chicago  could  l)e  shown  to  the  world  in  im- 
posing buildings  of  arcliitcctural  grandeur. 
Thus  the.v  provided  a  civic  center  upon  a 
vast  scale,  to  be  improved  with  towering 
buildings  serving  as  the  seat  of  city  gov- 
ernment, uniting  and  giving  life  to  the 
whole  plan  of  the  metropolis,  and  standing 
as  a  notice  to  the  world  of  the  tremendous 
might  and  power  of  a  city  loxed  and  re- 
vered by  its  millions  of  devoted  and  ]UTtri- 
otic  citizens. 


1.  What  is  the  Plait  of  Chirago  as  il  lias  been 

ivorked  out? 

2.  What  is   ihr   piirpos<    of   lln    Plmi   of   Clii- 

cayo  ? 

3.  What  will  the  Plait  of  Chicario  mraii   irlii  ii 

carried  out? 

4.  What  two  clrmnils  Jiarc  had  to  do  chiefly 

with  the  building  of  cities  of  the  past 
according  to  a  definite  plan? 

5.  What  other  element  do  modern  people  rec- 

ognize as  of  great  importance? 

6.  With    what   vital   problems  is   the  Plan   of 

Chicago  concerned  above  everything  else? 

7.  What  will  increase  the  ivealth  of  the  city 

and  its  people  faster  tJian  will  he  possi- 
ble otherwise? 

8.  Why  will  the  plan  make   the   people   mon 

healthy  and  better  able  to  carry  on  the 
irork  of  commerce  and  civilization  in  our 
city? 

9.  What  proportion  of  the  population  of  our 

country  did  the  Vnited  States  census  of 
1910  show  were  living  in  cities? 
JO.  In  what  three  cities  do  twelve  per  cent  of  tin 
in  tire    population    of    thi     United    Sfatis 
reside  ? 

11.  What  has  a  .study  for  years  of  city  growth 

shown  us  of  this  movement  of  mankind 
toward  the  city? 

12.  What  is  it  that  citij  life  saps,  according  to 

men  of  science? 
1.1.   What  is  an  aim  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 
Jl.  Wliat  does  the  carrying  out   of   the   plan 

mean  ? 


98 


WACKEK'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


15.  Wliat  will  happtn  when  we  have  created  a 

great  and  attractive  city  here? 

16.  TT/mi  did  the  architects  constantly  keep  in 

mind  in  drawing  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

17.  WJiy  was  first  thought  given   to   transpor- 

tation.' 

18.  ^Yhat  was  the  architects'  first  care? 


It).   To  what  does  the  greatest  part  of  the  plan 
nfir? 

20.  The  plan  of  transportation  completed,  tvhat 

was  tin  next  thought  of  the  architects? 

21.  What  did  the  architects  recognize  the  need 

of  in  the  final  arrangements  of  the  plan? 


SOLVING   TRANSPORTATION    PR0BLE:MS 


99 


CHAPTER  XII 


Ashland 


Center  Ave. 


Halsted  St.        -^r-rr.- 


Can:il  St. 


SOLVING  CHICAGO'S  TRANS- 
PORTATION PROBLEMS 

It  lias  been  seen  how  modern  eities  are 
governed  in  their  growth  and  development 
by  their  fa- 
cilities for  a  - 
transport  a-                       ^13 
t  i  o  n  ,    and 
how    Chica- 
go has  come    ^^'- 
to  be  a  big 
city  only  lie- 
cause  of  its 
fine  location 
in  regard  to 
the    carry- 
ing  to    and 
fro  of  mer- 
c  h  a  n  dise. 
We     m  u  s  t 
r  e  c  ognize, 

then,     t  h  a  t  R.R.Stations 

Chicago  has 
become 
great  large- 
ly t)y  virtue 
of  the  rail 
roads,  and 
that  u  p  o  n 
the  r  a  i  1  - 
roads  it  is 
d  e  p  endent 
for  its  fu- 
ture growth 
and  p  r  o  s- 
perity.  Clii- 

cago  is  now  the  greatest  railroad  center  in 
the  world.  Railway  lines  extend  from  the 
city  in  every  direction.  The  problem,  then, 
is  to  make  these  roads  more  effective  in 


connnerce.  to  liriiig  Ihein  all  together  as 
one  great  macliine  in  the  service  of  the 
city. 

Under  modern  cdnditions,  we  can  under- 
stand, the  city  which  lias  the  best  and 
cheapest  railroad  service  has  an  advantage 
in  trade  over  every  other  city.  Its  mer- 
chants can  do  business  cheaper  and  more 


I 


s 


Michigan 
Ave. 


Milwautee 
Ave. 


West  Side 
R.R.SUilioii3 


CHICAGO.  Diagram  of  city  center,  showing  the  proposed  arrangement  of  rail- 
road passenger  stations,  the  complete  traction  svstem.  including  rapid  transit  sub- 
waj-  and  elevated  roads,  and  tlie  circuit  subway  line. 

The  last  is  designed — (A)  to  connect  all  railroad  stations  with  one  another;  (B) 
to  connect  passengers  from  all  points  of  the  citv  within  and  without  the  center 
with  the  railroad  stations  by  transfer  from  the  snl>wav  line:  (C)  to  supplement 
hy  transfer  the  interchange  of  passengers  from  traction  line  going  tlirougli  the 
center  from  the  north,  south  or  west  to  any  point  in  the  city. 
[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 

quickly.  Its  manufacturers  can  receive 
material  and  ship  out  tlieir  jiroducts  more 
easily.  This  attracts  and  holds  trade,  and 
is  a  great  means  of  enriching  a  city  and 


100 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


its  people.  Men  operating  great  railroads 
are  agreed  that  their  greatest  prohlem  is 
to  provide  qniek  and  cheap  means  of  han- 
dling traffic  in  the  great  cities,  or,  as  they 
call  it,  of  improving  terminal  facilities  in 
the  great  centers  where  so  much  commerce 
originates.     The  city  will  benetit  most  in 


AstUaud  Ave. 


Ealstcd  St. 


Canal  St. 


South 
Freight  Yard 


■p'"'""   '""    -'■' 


Milwaukee 
Ave. 


t 


\11 


/ 


CHICAGO.  Diagram  of  the  city  center,  showing  the  general  location  of 
existing  freight  yards  and  railroad  lines,  the  present  tunnel  system  and  pro- 
posed circuit,  and  connections  for  all  these  services,  running  to  the  central 
clearing  yards. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


which  this  terminal  problem  is  worked  out 
quickest  and  best. 

The  great  difficulty  in  moving  freight  in 
Chicago  today  arises  from  the  lack  of  or- 
ganization for  handling  the  merchandise 
coming  into  the  city  over  the  various  rail- 
roads, but  intended  for  use  in  the  country, 


or  in  other  cities.  Every  month  thousands 
of  cars  of  goods  are  hauled  into  central 
Chicago  over  the  various  roads,  switched 
to  other  railroads  and  drawn  out  of  Chi- 
cago again  nnojiened.  Other  thousands  of 
cars  are  shijiped  into  Chicago,  unloaded  in 
the  center  of  the  city  and  their  contents 
g  carted 

|a  .2  a^  through  the 

I  I  i-^  streets      t  o 

warehouses, 
only  to  be 
again  cart- 
ed a  w  a  J , 
loaded  into 
cars,  a  n  d 
shipped  out 
of  Chicago 
1)  y  whole- 
sale mer- 
chants a 
few  days  or 
weeks  later. 
Under 
the  Plan  of 
Chicago,  as 
drawn  b  y 
the  arclii- 
t  e  c  t  s  ,  all 
this  waste- 
effort 
crowd- 
within 
center 
of  the  city 
will  be  end- 
ed. This  is 
to  be  done  by  establishing  upon  the  broad 
prairies  southwest  of  Chicago  a  great 
freight  and  warehousing  center.  After 
this  center  is  established  all  merchandise 
not  intended  for  constructing  buildings,  for 
food  or  to  be  sold  and  used  by  the  people 
of  Chicago  will  be  kept  out  of  the  city  it- 


Freight  Yard 


La  Salle  St. 


ful 
and 
ing 
the 


SOLVING   TRANSPORTATION    PROBLEMS 


101 


lion,  by  a  saving  upon  its  pavements,  and 
by  a  cessation  of  the  noise  and  smoke 
nuisam-e  growing  out  of  removal  of  so 
many  freiglit  engines  to  the  new  freiglit 
liandling  locality. 

The  freight  traffic  of  Cliicago  has  been 
carefully  studied  by  experts,  and  it  has 


self.  The  railroads  will  quickly  and  cheap- 
ly interchange  traffic  at  the  outside  center. 
In  the  warehouses  there  all  merchandise 
to  be  sold  at  wholesale  and  sliipped  to  other 
towns  and  cities  will  be  stored  until  time 
for  shipment  arrives,  when  it  will  be  re- 
loaded and  started  on  its  way  without  de- 
lay. 

The    advan-  g^Ss 
tages    of    this 
geat    common 
unloading  and 
reloading  sta 
t  i  o  n  ,    where 
much     of    the 
work  now  done 
by  manual  la-  ^; 
bor  downtown     ^ 
can  be  done  h}  ^ 
m  a  c  h  i  n  ery, 
and   where^ 
crow  ding  of  c> 
industries  will 
not     interfere 
with  the  busi   ^       '\ 
iiess  for  which  ?&^ 
the    center    is 
planned,    a  r  i 
apparent.    All 
interests    will 
benefit ;      t  h  e  li 
rail  ways  by 
increasing  the 
effective   u  s  e  ::^ 
of  their  equip 

'      ;  CHICAGO—   The  Great  Centi  il   .Maik.t. 

ment    IJV   rapid  50,000.000  persons  W'ithln  a  500-Mile  Radius  of  ChicaKO  Can   Leave   Home  in  the   Evening  and 

,       '  Arrive    in   Cliicago   for   Breakfast  the  Next  Morning. 

loading       a  n  d  [Especially  prepared  for  the  Chiciigo   Association   of    Commerce.] 


unloading,  tlie  merchants  by  avoiding  the 
expense  and  delay  of  carting  and  liandling 
])roducts  at  the  city's  center,  and  by  being 
enabled  to  more  quickly  and  effectively 
serve  their  customers  outside  the  city;  and 
the  city  at  large  by  relief  from  the  crowd- 
ing in  tlie  streets  due  to  teaming  conges- 


been  found  that  ninety-five  per  cent  is 
handled  by  the  railroads,  and  five  per  cent 
is  done  by  water.  For  the  care  and  devel- 
opment of  water  transportation  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  provides  for  the  building  of 
two  great  systems  of  docks,  one  at  the 
mouth  of  Chicago  river,  the  otlier  at  the 


102 


WACKEK'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


mouth  of  Calumet  river,  adjoining  Sontli 
Chicago.  The  Chicago  river  docks  are 
planned  to  care  for  vessels  bearing  car- 
goes of  i:)ackage  freight,  such  as  furniture, 
sugar  and  manufactured  products.  Those 
at  South  Chicago  would  he  more  extensive, 
and  would  care  for  the  vessels  carr3ing 
bulk  cargoes,  such  as  coal,  grain  and  ore. 

Connecting  the  two  harbors  and  the  out- 
er freight  center,  and  running  through  the 
center  of  the  city  that  it  may  serve  the 
merchants  and  manufactixrers,  there  is 
provided  in  the  plan  an  underground 
freight  way  to  be  ojierated  by  electricity. 
This  railway  would  bind  together  and  make 
complete  all  the  parts  of  the  great  machine 
of  traffic  intended  to  make  limitless  the  pos- 
sibility of  Inisiness  expansion  for  Chicago. 
If  it  be  made  an  underground  way,  it  may 
be  connected  with  the  present  tiumel  sj's- 
tem  serving  the  central  part  of  Chicago  to 
carry  out  a  complete  system  of  under- 
ground distribution. 

In  drawing  the  Plan  of  Chicago  as  af- 
fecting transportation,  the  designers  did 
not  neglect  the  detail  of  improving  passen- 
ger service  in  and  out  of  Chicago.  Good 
order  among  the  passenger  stations  was 
considered  a  necessity,  and  a  pleasing- 
arrangement  of  the  stations  was  decided 
upon.  The  stations  on  the  West  Side,  it 
was  decided,  should  be  centered  in  the  dis- 
trict extending  from  Lake  Street  to 
Twelfth  Street,  bordered  by  Canal  Street 
on  the  east  and  Clinton  Street  on  the  west. 
The  South  Side  stations,  according  to  the 
Plan,  are  to  be  grouped  along  Twelfth 
Street  from  State  Street  west  to  the  river. 
Thus  the  railway  stations  would  be 
grouped  in  a  semicircle  about  the  heart  of 
the  citj".  An  elevated,  surface  or  subway 
loop  railway  could  be  built  to  connect  the 
stations,  and  give  easy  transportation  from 
anv  one  of  them  to  the  others. 


One  of  the  great  results  of  carrying  out 
this  plan  of  arranging  the  passenger  sta- 
tions will  be  to  extend  the  present  crowded 
business  center  of  Chicago  to  as  far  south 
as  Twelfth  Street,  and  as  far  west  as  the 
river.  The  need  of  this  extension  is  al- 
readj'  great  and  is  growing  more  acute 
every  day.  The  unpleasant  and  distress- 
ing conditions  of  crowding  already  suf- 
fered in  the  loop  district  of  Chicago  can 
be  relieved  in  no  other  way;  and  in  no  other 
way  but  undertaking  a  work  for  economy 
in  trade  and  transportation  can  Chicago 
fulfill  her  destiny  as  mistress  of  the  com- 
merce of  half  a  continent.  To  gain  this 
relief,  and  to  provide  a  certain  way  by 
which  the  railways  which  have  made  Chi- 
cago great  may  give  the  people  of  Chicago 
the  greatest  possible  amount  of  service  in 
future,  is  a  powerful  reason  urging  our 
immediate  adoption  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

1.  How  have  modern  cities  been  governed  in 

their  growth  and  dcvclopmentf 

2.  How  has  Chicago  come  to  he  a  big  city? 

3.  'What   must   we   recognize  as  an  important 

factor  in  making  Chicago  great,  and  upon 
what  is  it  dependent  for  its  future  growth 
and  prosperity? 

4.  Of  what  is  Chicago  now  the  greatest  center 

in  the  world? 

5.  ^Yhat  is  Chicago's  prohlem    regarding   the 

railroads  ? 
().   Under  modirn  conditions,  what  city  has  an 
advantage  in  trade  over  every  otiier  city? 

7.  ^\hy  is  the  best  and  cheapest  railroad  serv- 

ice an  advantage  in  trade  to  a  city? 

8.  Why  is  the  best  and  cheapest  railroad  serv- 

ice a  incans  of  enriching  a  city  and  its 
people  ? 

On  what  arc  men  who  operate  gnat  rail- 
roads agreed  is  their  greatest  problem,? 

What  is  tlie  great  difficulty  in  moving  freight 
in  Chiceigo,  coming  into  the  city  over  the 
various  railroads  and  intended  for  use 
in  the  country  or  in  other  cities? 

Under  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  how  will  the 
handling  of  merchandise  from  the  rail- 
roads be  improved? 


9. 


10. 


11 


SOLVING  TRANSPORTATION    PltoBLEMS 


hi:; 


12. 
13. 

11. 


16. 

17. 
18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

0  0 


How  will  W(ist</i(l  ifforl  ill  liuiidliiig  frciijhl 
in  the  center  of  the  city  be  ended? 

What  will  result  after  the  esfatilishmnil  nj 
a  wardioHsinej  center  Soittlnr(.^l  of  Chi- 
ca</i) ' 

^Vhat  will  take  place  in  the  warehousi  n- 
fjanliiig  all  iii<  rehandise  to  be  tihipixit  In 
other  towns  and  cities.' 

Hoiv  are  the  advantaqes  of  this  great  eom- 
mon  unloading  aitd  nliiading  station  ap- 
parent? 

State  three  principal  reasons  whg  all  int(  r- 
isls  will  benefit  bg  the  i stablLshinent  of  a 
friight  and  wardiousing  center  iSontli- 
west  of  Chiceigo. 

What  have  crperts  diseovereel  throuejh  can- 
fid  study  of  the  freight  traffic  of  Chicago' 

How  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago  provide  for 
the  care  and  development  of  water  trans- 
portation? 

Name  the  locations  where  two  great  eloek 
systems  are  to  be  built,  as  provided  for 
in  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

What  kind  of  vessels  are  the  docks  to  can 
Jor  whieli  are  planned  at  the  mouth  of 
Chicago  river? 

What  kind  of  vessels  are  the  docks  to  care 
for  tvhich  are  planned  at  the  mouth  of 
Calumet  river? 

What  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago  provide  to 
connect  the  two  harbors  and  the  outer 
fn  ight  ceiittr? 


:'■'!.  Wliat  is  the  freight  way  to  connect  the  two 
harbors  and  the  outer  freight  center  in- 
ti  nded  to  do? 

:.'!.  If  the  connecting  f night  way  tie  made  vn- 
dergrounel,  what  may  it  lie  connected 
with,  and  what  would  it  serve? 

;.'.T.  ^yhat  part  of  transportation  iras  wd  neg- 
li(t(d  tiy  th(  disiguirs  of  thi  I'luii  of 
Ch  icago .' 

;.'6".  What  was  d'cidid  upon  as  a  necessity  in 
the  improvement  of  passenger  service? 

;.';.  Whi  re  was  it  decided  to  locate  the  Wist  Side 
stations? 

28.  According  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  win  re  are 

the  South  Side  stations  to  be  located? 

29.  IIow  would  the  railway  stations  be  groupeel? 

.30.  Mliat  coulel  be  built  to  connect  the  stations 
and  give  easy  transportation  from  one  to 

another? 

31.  What  would  be  one  of  the  greatest  results  of 

carrying  out  the  plan  of  arranging  the 
passenger  stations? 

32.  What  can  be  relieved  in  no  other  way  than 

by  this  plan  of  arranging  the  passengir 
stations? 

33.  What  may  be  eiccomplished  for  Chicago  by 

undertaking  a  work  for  economy  in  trade 
and  transportation? 

34.  State  a  powerful  reason  for  urging  and  car- 

rying out  the  Plan  of  CJiieago. 


1U4 


WACKEKS   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  XIII 


PERFECTING  OUR  STREET 
SVSTExM 

In  tlie  early  days  of  Chicago,  as  we  have 
seen,  i^ress  of  business  and  lack  of  wealth 
made  the  people  of  the  city  intensely  prac- 
tical in  their  daily  liv.es.  Every  public 
action  proposed  was  subjected  to  scrutiny 
as  to  whcllier  it  would  itav  financiallv  and 


One  of  the  first  needs  of  the  future  city 
is  a  perfect  street  system.  There  must 
be  enough  streets  to  easily  accommodate 
llie  traffic  of  the  millions  who  are  to  live  in 
the  city.  They  must  be  wide  enough  to  in- 
sure comfort  in  traversing  them,  and  they 
must  run  in  the  right  directions  to  enable 
the  people  to  go  from  place  to  place  quick- 
ly. We  must  realize  that  lifetimes  are 
made  up  of  minutes,  and  that  to  save  min- 
utes means  to  lengthen  life.    Thus  we  can 


CHICAGO.  Proposed  Twelfth  Street  Improvement  at  its  Intersections  with  Michigan  Avenue 
and  Ashland  Avenue.  It  is  planned  to  make  this  a  Broad  Business  Street  and  not  a  Boulevard,  as 
Shown  in  this  Picture.  The  Proposed  Railwav  Terminals  are  Shown  Frontinir  on  Twelfth  Street  at 
its  Level.  Which  is  Raised  to  Allow  North  and  South  Traffic  to  Flow  Underneath.  Access  to  tlie 
Street  is  Provided  at  .\lternate  Streets.  The  rise  Presumably  will  begin  at  Wabash  Avenue  and 
end  at  Canal  Street.  At  the  Intersection  of  Twelfth  and  Canal  Streets  a  Diagonal  Thoroughfare  is 
Shown  Extending  to  the  Proposed  Civic  Center.  Between  this  Diagonal  and  the  River  is  Shown  tlie 
Beginning  of  the  West   Side  Railroad  Stations. 

[Copyrighted    by    the    Commercial    Club.] 


practically  before  it  was  undertaken.  It 
has  become,  therefore,  a  habit  among  the 
people  to  give  first  importance  to  the  mat- 
ter of  direct  gain  from  conteni]ilated 
changes.  It  was  this  spirit  which  ruled  in 
the  minds  of  the  architects  in  working  out 
methods  of  perfecting  the  street  system  for 
the  Chicago  of  the  future. 


justify  the  spending  of  millions  of  dollars 
today  if  it  means  saving  time  for  millions 
of  people  in  years  and  centuries  to  come. 
In  all  cities  which  have  grown  up  with- 
out lieing  governed  by  a  pro]ier  plan,  it 
has  always  been  necessary  to  make  large 
expenditures  of  money  and  labor  to  correct 
the  error  of  planless  building.     We  have 


PKHFECTING    OUR   STREET    SYSTEJI 


105 


seen  this  in  tlie  exinTii'iice  of  LuikKhi.  AVc 
liave  seen,  also,  that  the  loii,<>-er  this  expen- 
diture is  delayed  the  greater  the  cost  wlien 


conirurl,  cuntinned  danger  to  liealtli,  and 
continued  and  increasing  loss  to  the  city's 
Imsiness,  trade  and  connneiTC. 


i 

f 


a 


f. 

.g 
1 


Hilsted  St 


Michigan  Ave. 


,4' 

ii:N. pwL_JL 


,      17 


^' 4r    I        Px  \JL/   .>'        ivi  ^'■j 


Milwaukee  Ave 


Center  Ave 


\l 


^"     s        / 

i^r r ifmn 1 i"3"^'""""'7^^ 


V    J*< |L,L...'5'  I    -^_J_JL_LJ"w 


'"""^'^  N-2:!::L< 


J£ a 

.A  a 

I  I  <„  !    v    1  r 

I  I— :«^? I ul 

I  r  ^'  I  >.     I     A 
..  V     '       ^  I    ' 


I — )  ?Aii  n.t*D  i>n«^RTv 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  the  cr'titer  of  the  city,  showing  the  present  street 
and  boulevard  system,  and  the  proposed  additional  arteries  and  street  widenings 
(heavy  black). 

[Copyrighted  lj>'   the   Commercial   Club.] 


it  is  finally  forced  upon  a  city.  To  post- 
pone action  means  not  only  a  greater  bur- 
den of  cost,  but  it  means  continued   dis- 


Tlie  architects,  in  their  Plan  of  Chicago, 
have  iirepared  for  great  changes  in  the 
street  jilans  of  the  city.     They  have  pro- 


106 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


vided  for  wider  streets  throughout  tlie  city, 
for  widened  and  improved  boulevards,  and 
they  have  laid  out,  as  absolutely  necessary 
to  a  properly  arranged  and  permanent 
city,  a  large  number  of  new  streets  and 
ways,  in  the  creation  of  which  it  will  be 
necessary  to  destroy  or  remove  hundreds 
of  buildings  in  the  crowded  parts  of  the 
present  city. 

Circuits — An  idea  of  the  plan 
tablish  several  circuits   of 


existmg 


IS  to  es- 
thor- 


Ite 


Ha 


ILJU 


nnncj 


CDil 


cunc 

CI1C3C 


m 


mo. 

DDmaniip 


ii    H/Mii 


iill 


U 


m 


DEE 


an 


^1 


53! 


uUUUUUu' 
□□ 


DDDD 


DD 


Ui 


"1 


an 


na 


UUUUUUUUUUL^I^ 


of  the  Chicago  IMan  Commission — the 
foundation  for  all  that  is  to  follow — 
is  to  carry  out  the  circuit  idea  by  com- 
pleting the  great  quadrangle  formed  by 
Twelfth  street  on  the  South,  Halsted  street 
on  the  West,  Chicago  avenue  on  the  North 
and  Michigan  avenue  on  the  East.  These 
four  streets  are  destined  to  bear  tlie 
heaviest  traffic  of  any  streets  in  Chi- 
cago. The  initial  step  will  be  to  widen 
Twelfth  street  from  Michigan  to  Ashland 

a  ^'  e  n  u  e,  the  s  e  c  - 


□□□□nnn^annnc 
DDnnuL 


n 


na 


sasB 


Bdd 


[□□□aaannQpnaBann^^^^ 


nnnnnnnnnnnnQ^nnnni 


mDL 


nn[ 


ana 
□nnnn 


=  is 


QDDDD 

nDDDDE 

DDDDDDC 


ICDDDaDDD 


DDnauanncnnDDDnn^ 
Dnnnannnnnnnnns^gmnnn 


2 


DDDICiCZlCjanC 

annnDDaE 
mnnnnDDC 


agR 


□0 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  the  quadrangle  bounded  by  Twelfth  Street  on  the 
South,  Halsted  Street  on  the  West.  Chicago  Avenue  on  the  North  and  Michigan 
Avenue  on  the  East.  These  four  streets  are  destined  to  bear  tlie  lieaviest  traffic 
of  any  thoroughfares  in  the  city.  The  completion  of  the  quadrangle  means  the 
construction  of  a  substantial  part  of  the  main  vertebra  of  the  street  circulation 
system.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission  to  complete  this 
square  as  the  first  great  necessary   step   in   carrying  out  the  plan   as  a  ■whole. 


oughfares 
can  move 


and  to 
freelv 


improve  them  so  traffic 
and   directlv  about  the 


citv's  center. 


Quadrangle — The  first  constructive  work 


ond  to  widen  ^lich- 
igan  avenue  from 
Randolph  street 
North  to  connect 
with  Chicago  ave- 
nue. Chicago  avenue 
suflficiently  wide, 
so  we  then  come  to 
the  connecting  link 
of  the  quadrangle — 
the  widening  of 
Halsted  street. 

Michigan  avenue 
— a  section  of  the 
quadrangle  —  forms 
so  great  a  ]iart  of 
the  street  plan  as  a 
whole  that  it  has 
been  thought  best  to 
treat  it  in  a  separate 
chapter,  so  we  will 
go  on  to  the  next 
s  t  e  p  —  T  w  e  1  f  t  h 
street  —  taking  u  p 
the  study  of  Michi- 
gan avenue,  or  wliat 
is  popularly  known 
as  the  "Iwulevard 
link,"  at  the  close  of  this  chapter. 

Twelfth  street,  the  first  section  of  the 
quadrangle,  is  being  developed  under  the 
Chicago  Plan.    It  is  to  be  widened  and  ar- 


PERFECTING    OUR   STREET  SYSTEM 


107 


ranged  to  bear  easily  a  heavier  trallic  than 
that  which  now  makes  it  a  badly  congested 
street.  The  widening  of  Twelfth  street  is 
the  initial  step  in  the  constructive  work  of 
developing  the  plan  as  a  whole  and  bears 
a  relationship  to  the  whole  scheme  of  street 
construction  and  street  widening. 

The  necessity  for  the  improvement  of 
that  street  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is  the 
only  througli  thoroughfare  between  Harri- 


nmst  be  made  for  a  suitable  outlet  from 
that  district  to  the  present  business  center 
of  the  city. 

Twelfth  street  from  Ashland  avenue  to 
Michigan  avenue  is  at  present  66  feet  wide 
between  building  lines  with  the  exception 
of  the  blocks  between  State  street  and 
Michigan  avenue,  where  the  street  is  but  50 
feet  wide;  39  feet  wide  l)etween  sidewalk 
curbs  and  onlv  nine  feet  and  nine  inclies 


c/fOi6  ^£cr/ofy 


J 


C  /Si.  -*/*'£'  ^t  -4  Tro»/t 


^^ 


>STRS£r    C^/r   Tf^jJCMS* 


s^ 


PLA//    //£H^. 


! 


CHICAGO.  Plan  of  the  new  Twelfth  Street.  Top  diagrram  shows  sidewalks  14  feet  and  26-foot  roadway 
on  either  side,  with  a  20-foot  strip  in  the  center  for  double  street  car  line  and  bracket  trolley  poles.  I'lan 
below  shows  "islands"  on  both  sides  of  the  car  tracks  at  the  intersection  of  each  street  for  safety  in  enterins; 
and  leaving  street  cars.  Dimension  of  island  4  by  fiO  feet.  Car  tracks  at  street  level,  with  free  access  for 
traffic    to    either    side.      [Prepared    for    the    Chicago    Plan  Commission.] 


son  and  Eighteenth  streets  connecting  the 
west  side  with  the  down  town  district.  The 
actual  heart  of  the  city's  population  today 
is  a  little  north  of  the  corner  of  Twelfth 
and  Halsted  streets.  Traffic  and  the  city's 
growth  are  gradually  moving  in  a  south- 
westerly   direction.      Adequate    provision 


wide  between  the  street  car  step  and  the 
curl).  It  is  proposed  to  make  the  street  108 
feet  wide  from  Ashland  avenue  to  Canal 
street,  taking  a  42-foot  strip  off  from  the 
lots  on  the  south  side  of  the  street.  It  is  to 
be  widened  to  118  feet  from  Canal  street 
to  the  lake. 


10,S 


WACKEK'S   MANUAL   OF   TIIK    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


It  is  not  intended  to  boulevard  tlie  street 
but  to  make  it  a  clean,  wide,  business  tbor- 
oughfare  witb  a  double,  rapid-transit  sur- 
face street  car  line  down  the  center,  and  on 
it  might  be  established  stations  of  all  the 
great  railroads  entering  the  city  from  the 
east,  south  and  southwest.  It  is  hoped  that 
the  railroads  may  be  induced  to  locate 
terminals  south  of  Twelfth  street  between 
State  street  and  the  river. 

On  November  16,  1909,  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission's  Executive  Committee  ap- 
pointed a  special  Twelfth  street  com- 
mittee whose  mission  it  was  to  investi- 
gate the  entire  matter  and  report  back  to 
the  Executive  Committee.  On  January  19, 
1910,  the  Executive  Committee  received  the 
Twelfth  Street  Committee's  report,  adopt- 
ing same,  which  was  referred  to  the  Com- 
mission as  a  whole  and  unanimously  adopt- 
ed on  January  19,  1910. 

On  March  2,  1911,  there  was  a  public 
hearing  on  the  matter  before  the  Board  of 
Local  Improvements,  after  which  the  prop- 
erty owners  on  that  sti'eet  were  given  thirty 
days  in  which  to  file  a  protest  representing 
a  majority  of  the  lineal  front  footage.  The 
time  limit  expired  witluuit  such  majority 
protest  having  been  filed  with  the  Board, 
and  the  matter  then  went  to  the  City  Coun- 
cil, where  on  April  6,  1911,  the  Twelfth 
street  widening  ordinance  passed  by  a  vote 
of  46  to  10.  In  accordance  with  this  ordi- 
nance. Commissioners  were  appointed  by 
the  Superior  Court  to  estimate  cost  and 
damages. 

The  improvement  might  properly  he 
designated  as  both  a  "local  improvement" 
and  a  "general  benefit."  The  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  has  made  a  strong  recommen- 
dation for  a  large  "general  benefit"  in  or- 
der that  a  large  percentage  of  the  cost  of 
the  improvement  shall  be  borne  by  the 
whole  city,  in  which  case  the  matter  of  a 


bond  issue  to  defray  the  city's  jiart  of  the 
cost  will  have  to  be  referred  to  the  people 
in  a  referendum. 

Public  sentiment  generally  and  the  unit- 
ed suiiport  of  the  press  is  back  of  this 
movement.  Every  citizen  of  Chicago  should 
aid  with  his  influence  and  vote  at  the  prop- 
er time  in  the  realization  of  this  improve- 
nicnt,  tims  insuring  the  success  of  the  first 
l)ractical  step  in  carrying  out  the  Plan. 

Halsted  street,  a  section  of  the  quad- 
rangle, it  is  predicted,  will,  in  time  to  come, 
carry  an  oiormous  traffic.  It  is  so  situated 
that  its  usefulness,  already  great,  may  be 
very  much  increased.  It  is  selected  as, 
next  to  Michigan  avenue,  the  most  im- 
portant north  and  south  traffic  thorough- 
fare. Under  the  Chicago  Plan  the  street 
would  be  widened,  paved  properly  and  de- 
veloped as  one  of  the  great  central  business 
streets  of  the  future  city. 

Chicago  avenue,  a  section  of  the  quad- 
rangle, already  one  hundred  feet  wide,  will 
serve  for  a  long  time  the  traffic  it  will  be 
made  to  carry.  Crowding  of  vehicles  is  not 
so  great  upon  the  north  side  of  the  city 
and  is  not  increasing  so  fast  as  in  other  sec- 
tions. It  will  connect  with  the  proposed 
INIichigan  boulevard  extension  at  Pine 
street,  completing  the  first  circuit  of  im- 
provement in  our  streets. 

Next  to  the  (|uadrangle,  by  far  the  most 
imi^ortant  in  the  ]i]ans  for  streets  are  those 
relating  to  the  time  and  distance  saving 
diagonal  thoroughfares  which  Chicago 
needs  so  badly.  The  city  is  fortunate  in 
having,  as  a  foundation  for  this  system 
of  diagonal  streets,  a  large  number  of  such 
thoroughfares.  Among  these  are  Evans- 
ton,  Lincoln,  Clybourn,  Elston,  Milwaukee, 
Ogden,  Blue  Island,  Archer  and  Cottage 
Grove  avenues.  These  thoroughfares,  for 
the  most  part,  are  the  routes  followed  for 
hundreds  of  years  by  the  Indians,  whose 


PERFECTING   OUR   STREET   SYSTEM 


109 


■svide  trails  were  developed  lirst  into  coun- 
try roads  leading  to  the  settlement  at  Chi- 
cago, and  gradually  became  city  streets  as 
Chicago  extended  its  limits  with  its  growth. 

The  aim  of  all  the  present  diagonal 
streets  is  to  bring  all  traffic  to  the  center 
of  the  city.  The  effect  of  this,  in  the  pres- 
ent city,  is  to  produce  congestion  and 
crowding  that  is  fast  growing  unbearable. 
It  is  apparent,  then,  that  the  city's  great 
need  now  is  for  diagonal  streets  to  give 
more  direct  routes  throughout  the  city, 
and  so  stop  the  crowding  of  traffic  into  the 
city's  business  center. 

The  architects  found,  in  studying  the 
street  system  of  Chicago,  that  the  greatest 
need  is  for  diagonal  streets  to  connect  the 
widely  extended  west  side  of  the  city  with 
the  north  and  south  sides.  Ways  must  be 
opened,  it  is  seen,  by  which  the  people  of 
the  various  parts  of  Chicago  may  go  quick- 
ly  and  conveniently  to  other  parts.  Ways 
must  be  created  by  which  the  people  of 
the  great  west  side  may  go  directly  to  the 
lake  front  parks  on  either  the  north  or 
south  sides,  and  thus  have  greater  freedom 
in  recreation. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago,  as  completed,  pro- 
vides a  complete  system  of  diagonal  streets 
which,  if  they  were  in  existence  today, 
would  be  used  by  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
people  Avith  a  saving  of  time  and  effort 
which  cannot  even  be  estimated.  Millions 
of  people  will  use  these  streets  in  the  fu- 
ture. Their  creation  will  remove  every 
limitation  now  existing  to  prevent  the 
city's  growth  in  population. 

Two  of  the  great  diagonal  streets  the 
architects  have  proposed  will,  upon  the 
adoption  of  the  Plan,  be  cut  through  the 
central  part  of  the  city.  One  of  these  thor- 
oughfares will  run  from  the  lake  front  at 
Chicago  avenue  southwesterly  in  an  al- 
most  straight   line  to   connect   with  Blue 


Island  avenue  at  Soulh  Ilalsted  and  West 
Harrison  streets.  Another  will  serve  to 
extend  Cottage  Grove  avenue  from  its 
present  terminus  in  East  Twenty-second 
street  northwesterly  to  connect  with  Mil- 
waukee avenue  at  North  Ashland  avenue. 
The  first  of  these  streets  will  be  about 
two  and  one-half  miles  long;  the  second 
about  four  miles  long.  The  function  of 
these  thoroughfares  will  be  to  give  traffic 
which  now  crowds  into  the  business  cen- 
ter of  the  city  a  direct  route  between  the 
north  and  south  central  districts  and  the 
central  west  side  territory.  The  second 
street  described  will  provide,  also,  a  direct 
route  connecting  the  northwest  and  south- 
east districts  of  Chicago. 

Because  of  the  promise  they  give  of  do- 
ing away  with  crowding  and  congestion  in 
various  parts  of  the  city,  and  because  of 
their  etfect  upon  every  neighborhood,  it  is 
interesting  to  have  these  proposed  diago- 
nal streets  outlined,  so  each  of  us  can  see 
how  much  more  convenient  it  will  be  to  get 
about  Chicago  when  the  streets  are  com- 
pleted, and  how  much  of  beauty  will  be 
added  to  each  neighborhood  by  the  new 
ways  of  traffic. 

On  the  north  side  there  are  to  be  four 
new  diagonal  streets  created  besides  the 
one  mentioned.  They  may  be  outlined  as 
follows : 

Beginning  at  the  crossing  of  La  Sallo 
avenue  and  North  avenue  a  street  will  run 
southwesterly,  cutting  across  Clybourn 
avenue  at  Sedgwick  street,  and  there  turn- 
ing more  westerly  to  run  southwest  to 
connect  with  Ogden  avenue  near  the  cross- 
ing of  Washington  boulevard  and  North 
Ashland  avenue.  This  street  will  be  about 
two  and  one-half  miles  long.  It  will  be  a 
practical  extension  of  Ogden  avenue  to  the 
gate  of  Lincoln  Park. 

The  second  of  the  four  outer  diagonals 


110 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


will  begin  at  the  lake  front  at  Belmont 
avenue  and  run  southwesterly,  cutting  Lin- 
coln avenue  at  North  Halsted  street  and 
Clybourn  avenue  at  Eacine  avenue,  and  so 
on  southwest  to  the  crossing  of  North  ave- 
nue and  North  Ashland  avenue.  The  route 
will  follow  North  Ashland  avenue  south- 
ward for  one-half  mile  to  the  crossing  of 
Milwaukee  avenue  and  there  run  again 
southwest  to  the  crossing  of  North  West- 
ern and  Grand  avenues,  continuing  still 
southwesterly  to  connect  with  Colorado 
avenue  at  West  Madison  street.  This  work 
means  the  creation  of  about  four  and  one- 
half  miles  of  new  street  ways.  It  will  prac- 
tically serve  to  extend  Colorado  avenue  to 
the  lake  front  at  Belmont  avenue. 

The  third  outer  diagonal  on  the  north 
side  is  to  be  cut  through  from  the  lake 
front  at  Irving  Park  boulevard  southwest 
to  Humboldt  Park,  near  North  Kedzie  and 
West  North  avenues,  a  distance  of  about 
four  miles,  and  is  to  resume  at  the  south 
end  of  the  park,  where  Grand  avenue  in- . 
tersects  North  Kedzie  avenue,  running 
southwestward  for  nearly  three  miles  more 
to  the  entrance  of  a  large  park  proposed  to 
be  extended  to  the  westward  from  South 
Fifty-second  avenue  and  West  Congress 
street. 

The  final  north  side  diagonal  proposed 
will  run  from  North  Clark  street  and  Law- 
rence avenue  to  the  entrance  of  another 
large  park  proposed  at  the  intersection  of 
Irving  Park  boulevard  and  North  Western 
avenue.  This  diagonal  will  be  only  one  and 
a  quarter  miles  long.  It  will  connect  at  its 
southern  end  with  a  wide  bow  boulevard 
to  be  cut  across  the  entire  west  side  of  the 
city,  and  to  be  described  in  detail  later. 

Two  new  diagonal  streets,  not  before 
mentioned,  are  to  be  cut  on  the  west  side. 
Both  are  to  run  from  the  crossing  of  West 
Congress  and  South  Halsted  streets.    One 


will  go  northwesterly  to  connect  with 
Grand  avenue  at  North  Western  avenue,  a 
distance  of  about  two  miles,  thus  bringing 
Grand  avenue  straight  down  to  the  pro- 
jected civic  center.  The  other  will  run 
southwesterly  to  West  Twelfth  street  and 
South  Ashland  avenue,  a  distance  of  a  lit- 
tle over  one  mile.  It  will  open  to  light  and 
air  one  of  the  most  crowded  and  unhealth- 
ful  sections  of  the  city. 

The  diagonal  systems  necessary  to  con- 
nect the  south  side  and  the  west  side,  aside 
from  the  Cottage  Grove  avenue  extension 
mentioned,  are  also  four  in  number.  They 
raay  be  thus  outlined: 

One  new  street  will  begin  at  Thirty-ninth 
street,  at  the  lake  front,  and  run  north- 
westerly, crossing  Grand  boulevard  at 
Thirty-fifth  street,  WentwOrth  avenue  at 
Thirty-first  street,  and  terminating  at 
Archer  avenue  and  South  Halsted  street. 
The  route  then  will  be  north  in  South  Hal- 
sted street  to  West  Twenty-second  street, 
and  then  again  the  street  would  cut  north- 
westward, crossing  West  Twelfth  street  at 
South  Ashland  avenue,  and  on  in  the  same 
direction,  crossing  West  Congress  street 
at  Ogden  avenue,  and  connecting  with 
Grand  avenue  at  North  Western  avenue. 
This  work  means  the  cutting  of  about  five 
and  one-half  miles  of  new  streets. 

Another  great  south  side  highway  to  the 
west  side  will  begin  at  the  western  edge 
of  Jackson  Park  at  Sixty-seventh  street. 
It  will  run  northwest  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Washington  Park  at  Cottage 
Grove  avenue,  a  distance  of  a  little  over 
one  mile.  It  will  go  thence  either  through 
or  around  the  park  to  the  junction  of  Gar- 
field and  Grand  boulevards,  where  it  will 
begin  cutting  northwesterly  again.  It  will 
cross  West  Forty-seventh  street  at  Went- 
worth  avenue.  West  Thirty-ninth  street  at 
South   Halsted    street.    West    Thirty-fifth 


PERFECTING   OUR   STREET   SYSTEM 


111 


street  at  South  Center  avenue,  go  along  the 
west  bank  of  the  south  fork  of  tlie  south 
branch  of  Chicago  river  to  South  Ashland 
avenue.  The  route  will  then  be  in  South 
Ashland  avenue  north  to  West  Twenly- 
second  street,  where  cutting  northwesterly 
will  be  resumed,  the  street  crossing  West 
Twelfth  street  at  South  Western  avenue, 
and  terminating  in  North  Forty-eighth 
avenue,  near  Washington  boulevard.  To 
comi)lete  this  system  means  the  creation  of 
a  little  more  than  seven  miles  of  new 
streets. 

The  third  of  the  outer  routes  between 
the  south  and  west  sides  is  to  run  from 
the  lake  shore  region  of  South  Chicago 
along  the  route  of  the  Lake  Shore  and 
Michigan  Southern  railway  to  about  Six- 
tieth street,  near  State  street,  there  begin- 
ning the  main  cutting  northwesterly.  It 
will  cross  South  Halsted  street  at  Garfield 
boulevard  and  South  Ashland  avenue  at 
West  Forty-seventh  street,  joining  South 
Western  avenue  at  West  Thirty-ninth 
street,  and  running  north  in  South  West- 
ern avenue  to  West  Thirty-first  street, 
turning  west  in  that  thoroughfare  to  an 
extension  of  Blue  Island  avenue,  and 
thence  northwesterly  to  cut  Ogden  avenue 
at  South  Forty-eighth  avenue,  crossing 
West  Congress  street  at  South  Fifty-sec- 
ond avenue  and  continuing  indefinitely  into 
the  country.  This  route  involves  the  cre- 
ation of  about  ten  miles  of  new  streets. 

Finally,  on  the  south  side,  is  to  be  a 
diagonal  course  from  the  north  end  of 
Lake  Calumet  northwest  through  a  sparse- 
ly settled  territory  for  a  distance  exceed- 
ing seven  miles  to  connect  at  South  West- 
ern avenue  and  Garfield  boule\ard  with 
the  sweeping  bow-sha]ied  Itoulevard  before 
mentioned. 

Besides  cutting  the  new  diagonals  and 
widening  the  principal  thoroughfares  with- 


in the  city,  there  will  be  construcied  thor- 
oughfares along  both  sides  of  Chicago  river 
and  its  branches.  This  work,  in  all  prolj- 
abiiity,  will  be  the  finishing  labors  of  the 
city  in  its  street  transformation  ]ilans.  The 
water  fronts  of  the  great  Eurojiean  cities 
are  thus  improved  and  beautified.  Broad 
ways,  according  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago, 
will  surely  line  both  banks  of  the  river 
lu'anches,  that  to  the  northward  at  least 
as  far  as  North  avenue  and  to  the  south- 
ward at  least  as  far  as  South  Halsted 
street.  This  street  construction  is  to  l)e 
on  a  plan  so  laid  as  not  to  interfere  with 
the  use  of  the  river  in  commerce  and  trade, 
the  driveways  being  elevated  and  running 
above  the  roofs  of  low  warehouses  and 
wharves  lining  the  edges  of  the  stream. 

The  city's  streets  would  be  linked  to- 
gether and  unified  by  the  wide  semi-circu- 
lar boulevard  drive  described  in  the  next 
chapter  as  more  properly  a  part  of  the 
vast  ])ark  system  by  which  the  city  is, 
according  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  to  be- 
come the  most  attractive  and  healthful 
great  city  the  world  has  ever  known. 

A  system  of  outer  roadways  and  high- 
ways encircling  the  city  to  connect  the 
various  parts  of  Chicago  with  each  other, 
with  the  center  of  the  city  and  with  the 
outhing  sections,  is  considered  a  great 
need.  With  the  exception  of  five  per  cent, 
a  perfect  system  of  outer  highways — called 
"turnpikes"  in  the  old  days — now  exists. 
Partly  disconnected  roads  form  ninety-five 
per  cent  of  the  proposed  system  today. 

A  study  of  the  accompanying  chart  will 
show  that  circle  No.  1  connects  Winnetka, 
the  northern  lake  terminal,  with  LaGrange, 
Hinsdale,  Blue  Island  and  Orland,  ending 
with  Roby  on  the  lake  to  the  South. 

Circle  No.  2  starts  with  Waukegan  on  the 
lake  to  the  North,  connecting  that  city  with 
Libertyville,  Lake  Zurich,  Elgin.  Geneva, 


11: 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OP  THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


Aurora,  Joliet,   Cliieago  Heights,   ending 
with  Gary  on  the  lake  to  the  South. 

Circle  No.  3  is  also  a  lake  terminal  at 
Kenosha  on  the  North  and  embracesWood- 
stock,  Genoa,  Sycamore,  Morris,  Momence, 
Kankakee  and  La  Porte,  finding  its  southern 
outlet  again  on  the  lake  at  Michigan  City. 

The  Chicago  Plan  Commission  proposes 
to  enlist  the  aid  of 
the  A'arious  townshii^s 
en  route  on  these 
three  circles  in  the 
construction  of  the 
connecting-  links, 
amounting  as  stated 
to  but  five  per  cent 
needed  to  complete 
these  highways.  Con- 
sider these  circular 
roadways  and  their 
connection  with  the 
proposed  diagonal 
street  system  of  our 
plan — the  convenient 
and  time  saving  feat- 
ure of  this  system  is 
apparent  at  a  glance. 
C  o  u  n  t  r  y  turnpikes 
and  their  relationship 
to  the  metropolis 
should  be  inseparably 
interlinked,  and  that 
is  especially  true  in 
considering  C  h  i  - 
cago's  welfare  and  her  outlying  suburban 
cities,  when  we  realize  that  the  population 
of  the  twenty-four  cities  and  villages  on 
these  circles  amounts  to  250,000,  and  will 
continue  their  growth  in  proportion  to  their 
relationship  to  the  city  of  Chicago  and  its 
future  development. 

1.  In  the  early  days  of  Chicago  what  made 
the  people  iiitensdy  practieal  in  their 
daily  lives? 


Why  icas  every  proposed  public  action  siib- 
jicted  to  scrutiny  before  it  was  under- 
taken? 

What  spirit,  as  a  result  of  a  habit  among- 
the  people,  rided  the  architects  in  work- 
ing out  methods  of  perfecting  the  street 
system  for  the  Chicago  of  the  future? 

What  is  one  of  the  first  needs  of  the  future 
city? 


:$:/Ji, 


CHICAGO 

HIC.USS  \>  S 
i\f.    \\n  H  \U1\IIM,  r'HOM 
THF  C  IT. 


KANKAKEC' 


CHICAGO, 
from  the  city. 


General 
Niiietv-fiv 

rcop 


diagram    of    exterior    higliways    encircling'    or    radiating 
e  per  cent  of  these  arteries  now  exist, 
yrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 

5.  What  three  things  are  necessary  in  perfect- 
ing a  sfi'eet  system  for  the  Chicago  of  tin 
future? 

li.  What  lias  been  necessary  in  all  citi<s  which 
have  grown  up  without  being  governed 
by  a  proper  plan? 

7.  What  three  things  result  from  postponed 
action  in  governing  a  city  by  a  proper 
plan? 

8.  What  four  great  changes  in  the  street  plans 
have  the  architects  made  in  tlte  Plan  of 
Chicago? 


PERFECTING    OUR    STREET    SYSTEM 


113 


9.   Wlial    is    the    idea    in    ( xiahlishing    several 
circuits  of  existiiic/  Ihoroinjhfarcsf 

10.  Wliaf  is  the  founelation  for  all  that  is  to  fol- 

low in  the  first  constructive  work  of  the 
Chicago  Plan  Commission? 

11.  JVJiat  arc  these  four  streets  destined  to  hear? 

12.  What  will  the  initial  and  following  steps  he 

in  carrying  out  the  quadrangle? 

i-?.  To  what  does  the  wid(  iiing  of  Twelfth  Street 
hear  a  relationship? 

14.  What  is  the  first  necessifii  for  the  improve- 

ment of  Twclftii  Street? 

15.  Wh}/  >nust  adequate  provision  he  maele  for 

a  suitable  outlet  from  the  west  .mle  to  the 
present  business  center  of  the  city? 

16.  What  is  the  present  width  of  Twelfth  Street 

front  Ashland  Avenue  to  Michigan  Ave- 
nue? 

17.  State  the  width   of   Twelfth   street   between 

side  well!,'  curbs. 

18.  What  is  lite  width  of  the  roadway  on  either 

side  of  Twelfth  Street  between  the  street 
car  step  and  the  curb? 

19.  How  ivide  is  it  proposed   to   nud.e   Twelfth 

Street? 

20.  What  is  the  intention  in   not  houh  carding 

Twelfth  Street? 

21.  On    wheit    date'    and    in    what    year   diet    the 

Chicago  Plan  Commission's  E.vecutive 
Committee  appoint  a  special  Twelfth 
Street  Committee  ? 

22.  What  was  the  mission  of  this  special  Twclftii 

Street  Committee? 

23.  On  what  date  and  in  what  year  did  the  Ex- 

ecutive Committee  eind  llie  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  as  a  whole  receive  anel  eidopt 
the  Twelfth  Street  Committee's  widening 
report  ? 

24.  On   wlitif  date  and  in   irhal  year  was  there 

a  public  hearing  before  the  Board  of 
Local  Improvements  on  widening  Twelfth 
Street? 

25.  On    what   date    anel   in    what   year  did   the 

Twelftli  Street  widening  ordinance  pass 
the  City  Council? 

26.  How  did  the  vote  stand  in  the  City  Council 

on  the  Twelfth  Street  wiele  ning  eirdi- 
nanee? 

27.  How  .ihould   the   improvement   of   Twelftli 

Street  be  de  sigiiafed? 


2S. 

29. 
30. 
31. 


34. 


36. 

37. 
38. 
39. 

40. 

41. 

42. 
43. 
44. 

45. 

46. 


What  eliel  the'  Chicago  Plan  Ceimmissiejn 
recommend  concerning  the  cost  of  the  im- 
provement? 

What  is  predicted  feir  Halsteel  Street  as  a 
section  of  the  quadrangle? 

Next  to  Michigan  Avenue',  what  is  Ifedsteel 
Street  selected  as  being? 

Under  the  Plan  of  Chicagei,  leeiw  weiuhl  Hal- 
steel  street  be  improved? 

What  is  the  conditiem  eif  Chieago  Avenue  as 
a  section  of  the  ejuaelrangle  ? 

Next  to  the  quadrangle .  what  is  by  far  the 
most  impeirtant  ielea  in  the  pletns  fen- 
streets? 

Name  the  streets  the  city  is  fortunate  in 
haviney  as  a  founelation  feir  the  system  e>f 
dietgonal  streets. 

Wheit  is  the  aim  of  all  the'  present  diagonal 
streets ? 

Whal  is  the  effect  on  the  eily  eif  the'  present 
diagonal  streets? 

What  is  apparent  neiw  as  the  eity's  greeit 
need? 

What  did  the  archiieets  find  in  stuelying  the 
street  system  of  Chicago? 

What  must  he  done  to  give  the  people  on  the 
greeit  west  side  greater  freeelom  in  recrea- 
tion? 

What  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  when  com- 
pleted, provide  in  its  complete  sysfem  of 
diagonal  streets? 

Deserihe  the  route  of  two  great  diagonal 
streets  proposeel  by  the  architects  in  the 
Plan  e)f  Chicago. 

What  is  the  length  of  the  first  e,f  these 
streets,  and  what  is  its  function? 

Whal  Is  the  length  eif  the  second  eif  these 
streets,  euiel  wieeil  Is  Us  function? 

How  many  new  dieigetnal  streets  arc  pro- 
peiscd  feir  the  neirth  side'  besides  the  one 
previously  me  ntlemed? 

State  the  length  and  describe  in  their  or- 
eler  the  reiiiles  eif  the  four  new  diagonal 
streets  preipuseel  for  the  north  side. 

Slal,"  the  length  and  describe  in  their  order 
the  routes  of  the  two  new  diagonal  streets 
propose  el  fetr  111''  we st  side. 


114 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


47.  State  tlic  length  and  describe  in  their  order 

the  routes  of  the  four  new  eliagonal 
streets  to  conneet  the  south  and  ivest  sides. 

48.  What  is  contemplated  in  finishing  the  street 

transformation  plans? 

49.  Wliat  does  the  Plan  of  Chicago  provide  to 

connect  the  various  parts  of  Chicago  with 
each  other,  with  the  center  of  the  city  and 
with  the  outlying  sections' 

50.  What  proportion  of  a  system  of  outer  road- 

ways now  exists? 


51.  Name  in  their  order  the  towns  eonneeted  by 

outer  highway  or  circle  No.  1. 

52.  Name  in  their  order  the  towns  connected  by 

outer  highway  or  circle  No.  2. 

53.  Name  in  their  order  the  towns  connected  by 

outer  highway  or  circle  No.  3. 

54.  What   does   the    Chicago   Plan   Commission 

propose  to  do  to  secure  the  connecting 
links  of  these  three  outer  highways, 
amounting  to  about  5  per  cent? 


CONNECTING    BorLKVAKI)    LlNK^^MU'IIKiAN    AVE. 


11.") 


CHAPTER  XIV 


CONNECTING  BOULEVARD 
LINK-MICHIGAN  AVENUE 

Michigan  avoiine — a  section  of  tlio  quad- 
rangle— it    was    found,    is    rea]ly   tlie   liase 


line  of  tlie  city's  traffic.  A  great  develop- 
ment of  this  avenue  is  proposed,  to  make  it 
a  great,  wide  street  skirting  the  entire  front 
of  the  i'it\-.  This  moans  widening  the  ave- 
nue from  lJandoli)li  street  to  connect  with 
Lincoln  Park  drive  at  Ohio  street,  and  tlic 
construction  of  a  wide,  roomy  concrete  via- 
duct   and    liridnc    across    II10   river.      The 


V 


CHICAGO.     Proposea    Boulevard    to    Connect    the    North    and    South    Sides    of    the    River. 
View  Ijooliing  North  from  Washington  Street. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


116 


WACKEK'S   BIANUAL    OF   TIIK    Pl.AX    OK    CHICAGO 


bridge  is  to  be  a  double  deck,  bascule  struc- 
ture, the  upper  deck  for  carriages  and  au- 
tomobiles and  the  lower  one  for  heavy  traf- 
fic, with  wide  sidewalks  above  and  below 
for  i)edestrians.  Arrangements  would  be 
made  to  have  east  and  west  traffic  of  all 
kinds  in  the  busy  section  near  the  river 
l^ass  through  this  viaduct  at  altout  street 
grade. 

Tliere  is  to  be  a  gradual  grade  the  en- 
tire width  of  tlie  street  from  building  line 
to  building  line,  starting  from  Rando!])h 
street,  reaching  a  maximum  height  of  six- 
teen and  one-half  feet  above  street  level 
at  the  river  crossing,  then  a  gradual  de- 
scent to  Ohio  street.  This  grade  will  be 
no  more  perceptible  than  is  Jackson  boule- 
vard at  the  river.  The  grades  suggested 
are  less  than  those  existing  on  Fifth 
avenue,  New  York.  Imagine  standing  at 
the  intersection  of  Randolph  street  and 
Michigan  avenue  and  being  able  to  follow 
with  the  eye  the  straightened  course  of  that 
magnificent  widened  thoroughfare  direct  to 
Lincoln  Park,  where  it  would  end  in  the 
lake  at  the  intersection  of  Bellevue  place. 

The  completion  of  the  North  and  South 
boulevard  system  with  this  connecting  link 
as  shown  in  the  ctiI  on  page  It.")  would  give 
Chicago  the  most  magnificeut  thoroughfare 
in  the  world.  The  estimated  cost  of  Ibis 
work  is  less  than  six  million  dollars;  the 
A'alue  of  its  realization  is  inestimable.  If 
there  is  one  phase  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago 
that  every  citizen  should  demand,  it  is  the 
building  of  this  connecting  link.  Its  value 
as  a  Chicago  asset  would  attract  interna- 
tionally wide  attention.  Property  values  in 
the  immediate  section  of  this  proposed  im- 
provement would  be  tremendously  en- 
hanced. Indirectly  the  benefit  would  lie  to 
the  whole  city,  even  to  those  of  our  citizens 
living  in  far  remote  sections. 

At ti-activeuess    is    a    communitv    asset 


shared  in  by  all.  It  is  not  believed  that 
there  can  be  any  serious  objection  on  the 
part  of  any  citizen,  either  directly  or  indi- 
rectly affected,  to  an  improvement  so 
l>nliiably  in  the  interests  of  all  as  the  com- 
])letion  of  the  boulevard  link  as  proposed. 

"Michigan  avenue  is  more  than  the  main 
connecting  thoroughfare  between  the  north 
and  south  sides;"  as  has  been  well  said, 
"it  is  the  great  pfaisance  for  office  build- 
ings, hotels,  clubs,  theatres,  nmsic  halls, 
and  shops  of  the  first  order,  lining  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  avenue.  So  desirable  has 
in-operty  become,  that  the  extension  of  it 
to  the  north  must  enhance  the  value  of  the 
abutting  real  estate,  because  of  the  in- 
creased opportunities  for  continuing  the 
building  of  structures  of  llie  highest  class." 
The  property  owners  tber-e  should  be  the 
first  to  recognize  their  opportunity  and  co- 
operate to  the  fullest  extent  in  this  great- 
est of  all  needed  street  improvements. 

"j\richigan  avenue  is  destined  to  carry 
the  heaviest  movement  of  any  street  in  the 
world.  Any  imiirovenienf  for  this  thor- 
oughfare which  does  not  recognize  its  im- 
portance will  be  a  waste  of  money  and 
energy  and  an  error  of  the  first  magni- 
tude." Michigan  avenue  north  of  Randolph 
street  is  now  66  feet  wide. 

The  ^Tayor  of  Chicago  in  1904  was  one  of 
the  very  first  advocates  of  the  boulevard 
connection.  On  May  16th  of  that  year  he 
sent  a  letter  to  the  City  Council  asking 
the  appointment  of  a  special  committee  to 
take  up  the  (piestion  with  the  South  Park 
Board  and  the  Lincoln  Park  Board,  also 
with  the  directly  interested  property  own- 
ers to  learn  whether  a  practical  scheme  for 
accomplishing  this  boulevard  connection 
could  not  be  devised  and  forwarded.  Au- 
thority was  granted  the  Mayor  and  the  spe- 
cial committee  was  duly  appointed.  On 
February  6,  1905,  this  committee  submitted 


CONNECTING   BOULEVARD   LINK  — MICHIGAN    AVE. 


117 


a  report  reeommomliiig  an  order  providiii.n' 
tliat  the  Board  of  Local  Improvemeuts  pre- 
pare and  submit  to  tlie  City  Council  an 
ordinance  for  condemnation  of  property'  ly- 
ing between  i\Iicliigan  avenue  and  Central 
court  and  between  Randolph  street  and  the 
river ;  for  condemnation  of  property  on  the 
west  side  of  Pine  street  to  make  it  possible 
to  construct  a  street  125  feet  wide  and  to 
bring  the  southern  extremity  of  street  opj^o- 
site  the  north  end  of  Michigan  avenue; 
after  said  avenue  had  been  widened  for  the 
construction  of  a  bridge  to  connect  these 
streets  and  for  payment  of  improvement  l\v 
special  assessment,  which  in  judgTuent  of 
committee  should  embrace  the  entire  city  of 
Chicago.  Eight  real  estate  experts  were  ap- 
pointed to  appraise  the  value  of  land  and 
buildings.  The  full  committee  finally  unani- 
mously recommended  the  plan  suggested  by 
the  Mayor  as  one  of  the  greatest  and  most 
immediate  needs  of  the  City  of  Chicago. 
Legal  steps  in  the  judgment  of  the  commit- 
tee would  necessarily  take  a  long  time,  as 
would  also  the  work  of  construction.  They 
therefore  recommended  that  the  Council 
without  delay  secure  the  passage  of  the 
necessary  ordinance  to  begin  the  work.  The 
order  was  passed  February  16,  1905.  Up  to 
the  very  close  of  the  ]\Iayor's  administra- 
tion he  urged  action  on  the  matter  by  the 
Board  of  Local  Improvements.  During  the 
administrations  of  succeeding  Mayors. 
1906-7  and  1907-11,  the  case  was  up  repeat- 
edly before  their  respective  Boards,  and  at 
various  periods  dates  were  set  for  a  public 
hearing,  but  little  progress  was  made,  ow- 
ing to  objections  and  counter  plans  con- 
stantly being  submitted  from  pro]ierty 
owners  and  others. 

It  seemed  quite  a  remarkable  coincidence. 
after  all  these  years,  that  the  Mayor  who 
first  advocated  the  boiilevard  connection 
should  again  have  the  opportunity  through 


his  re-election  in  1911  to  take  u])  tliis  great 
improvement  where  he  left  oil'  upon  his  re- 
tirement from  office  in  1905.  Meanwhile,  as 
we  know,  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission  had 
been  appointed  and  witliin  two  months 
after  the  Mayor's  election  the  Commis- 
sion's Executive  Committee  invited  him  to 
ins])ect  its  plans  for  the  boulevard  liid<. 
After  a  careful  study  of  these  the  Mayor 
declared  himself  in  favor  of  an  elevated 
roadway,  departing  from  his  original  idea, 
which  provided  for  the  connecting  link  to 
be  built  at  grade  level.  On  July  6, 1911,  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  unanimously  decided  to  lay  be- 
fore the  Mayor  a  definite  plan  for  the  boule- 
vard link  providing  for  an  elevated  struc- 
ture from  Eandolph  street  to  Ohio  street, 
to  run  from  building  line  to  building  line; 
Michigan  avenue  to  be  widened  from  66  feet 
to  130  feet  from  Randolph  street  north  to 
the  river,  terminating  in  a  plaza  at  the  river 
222  feet  wide,  64  feet  to  be  taken  from  the 
east  side  of  Michigan  avenue ;  north  of  the 
river  the  plan  provided  for  widening  Pine 
street  to  146  feet  by  taking  the  necessary 
land  from  the  west  side  of  the  street,  from 
Chicago  avenue  to  Michigan  street,  there  to 
terminate  in  a  plaza  approximately  250  feet 
wide;  grade  of  street  from  Randolph  to 
Lake  street,  2.7  per  cent ;  grade  of  street 
from  Ohio  to  Indiana  street,  3  per  cent;  the 
distance  between  these  two  points  to  be 
practically  level ;  the  roadway  at  the  Ohio 
street  corner  to  be  raised  3  feet;  Lake 
street  and  Michigan  street  to  be  lowered  3 
feet;  South  River  street  gently  graded  to 
bridge  approaches ;  North  River  street  gen- 
tly graded  to  bridge  approaches;  Illinois 
street  at  Pine  street  to  be  lowered  4  feet; 
Indiana  street  at  Pine  street  to  be  lowered 
3  feet ;  a  double-deck  bridge  to  be  built  over 
the  river ;  approach  to  lower  deck  of  bridge 
for  teaming  south  of  river  to  be  2.5  per 


118 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


cent ;  north  of  river  to  be  3  per  cent  instead 
of  approximately  5  per  cent  as  at  present ; 
subdivision  of  new  street  south  of  river, 
east  to  west,  sidewalk  25  feet  wide ;  road  75 
feet  wide ;  sidewalk  30  feet  wide ;  north  of 
river  there  will  be  a  central  parkway  26 
feet  wide  and  two  roadways  on  either  side 
thereof,  approximatelj",  east  to  west,  side- 
walks 25  feet  wide;  roadways  32  1-2  feet 
each;  stairways  to  be  placed  for  access  to 


mission  is  broadly  representative  of  the 
entire  citizenship  of  the  City  of  Chicago. 
Its  duty,  in  brief,  is  to  study  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  and  to  recommend  what  part  or 
parts  of  the  plan  should  be  adopted  l)y  the 
city  and  carried  to  completion.  For  six 
years  plans  for  adequately  connecting  the 
North  and  South  sides  have  been  studied, 
first  by  committees  of  the  City  Council,  Eeal 
Estate    Board,    Architects,    South    Park 


Michigan  Avenue  and  Michigan  Avenue  projected.  North  and  South  Connection.  Isometric  chart.  View  look- 
ing down  on  the  street  from  above,  showing  cross  sections,  plazas  north  and  south  of  the  river  and  double 
deck  structure  over  the  river. 


upper  street  at  the  river  abutments  north 
and  south  and  at  Indiana,  Illinois,  South 
Water  and  Lake  streets.  This  plan  was 
personally  endorsed  by  the  Mayor  on  July 
7,  1911,  and  submitted  for  ratitication  by 
the  entire  Chicago  Plan  Commission  at  a 
meeting  held  July  10, 1911,  at  which  time  it 
was  unanimously  adopted  as  the  official 
plan  of  the  Commission. 

The  next  step  was  taken  by  the  city  at  a 
public  hearing  by  the  Board  of  Local  Im- 
provements, held  in  the  City  Hall,  July  12, 
1911,  at  which  hearing  the  Commission  was 
represented  by  its  Executive  Committee, 
and  the  plan  submitted  to  the  Board  by 
the  Chairman  of  tlie  Commission,  who  ad- 
dressed the  Board  as  follows : 

"I  am  here  as  Chairman  of  the  Chicago 

Plan    Commission,    created    by    the  City 

Council  of  the  City  of  Chicago,  November 

1,  1909. 

"Tlie  personnel  of  the  Chicago  Plan  Corn- 


Board  and  Lincoln  Park  Board,  Special 
Council  Committees  and  other  lu'ominent 
citizens,  and  for  the  past  three  years  by  the 
Plan  Committee  of  the  Commercial  Club 
and  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission,  to  which 
body  the  plans  were  committed  for  the  pur- 
poses which  I  have  previously  indicated. 
During  these  six  years  of  stiidj^  on  the  wide- 
ning and  projection  of  Michigan  avenue, 
hundreds  of  meetings  and  conferences  have 
been  held.  Every  conceivable  sort  of  a  plan 
has  been  considered  and  all  manner  of  ex- 
pert data  and  testimony  introduced  and 
carefully  weighed.  During  all  that  time 
and  in  the  vast  research  of  the  organiza- 
tions named,  one  plan  and  only  one  plan  for 
the  connecting  link  has  loomed  up  as  out- 
topping  and  overshadowing  any  other  plan 
or  all  other  plans,  as  being  the  only  compre- 
hensive, practical  and  adequate  means  for 
coping  with  this  complex  and  aggravated 
question. 


CONNECTING   BOULEVARD   LINK— MICHIGAN   AVE. 


Ill) 


"The  i>laii  I  refer  to  is  tlie  original  i)lan 
of  tlie  Comuiercial  Club,  first  put  out  to 
the  public  in  1908.  This  plan  is  known  to  the 
Cliicago  Plan  Commission  as  Plan  No.  1, 
and  provided  for  the  treatment  of  the  i^ro- 
posed  connecting  link  from  Eandolj)!!  street 
to  Cliicago  avenue  by  means  of  two  levels 
and  a  double  deck  bridge;  and  called  for 
the  condemnation  of  all  the  property  east 
of  Michigan  avenue  and  Beaubien  court  as 
originally  proposed  by  the  Mayor  in  1904; 
Michigan  avenue  to  be  246  feet  wide  south 
of  the  river,  taking  the  width  from  the 
property  on  the  east  side  of  the  street,  and 
to  be  216  feet  wide  north  of  the  river,  taking 
the  property  for  the  widening  from  the 
west  side  of  Pine  street;  upper  street  to 
stretch  from  pro]ierty  line  to  jn'operty  line 
both  on  nortli  and  south  sides  of  the  river, 


that  eighteen  ])ublic  hearings  have  been 
scheduled  and  abandoned  by  the  Board  of 
Local  Improvements  on  this  case,  and  that 
in  fairness  to  the  property  interests  along 
the  zone  of  the  proposed  improvement, 
which  have  been  seriously  menaced  during 
this  long  agitation  and  these  many  delays, 
that  some  action  would  have  to  be  taken  by 
the  city  at  the  conclusion  of  this  hearing, 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission  after  a  series  of  recent 
conferences  with  all  interests  concerned, 
met  in  executive  session  July  6,  1911,  and 
again  reviewed  all  conditions,  plans  and 
objections  and  voted  unanimously  in  favor 
of  what  is  known  to  the  Commission  as  Plan 
No.  3,  to  be  hereinafter  described. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Plan  Commission  as 
a  whole,  held  .Tuly  10,  1911,  a  unanimous 


Proposed    double    deck    bridge    for    north    and    south    boule\"iird     «_unuecUon     !Miciiit4au     ^Vxenue     and     Wirliigan 
Avenue  projected. 


the  inclines  to  upper  street  to  start  from 
Eandolpli  and  Ohio  streets;  grades  of  in- 
cline as  follows :  Kandol])h  street  to  Lake 
street  2.7  per  cent,  from  Ohio  street  to  Indi- 
ana street  3.5  per  cent;  balance  of  upper 
street  to  be  practically  level. 

"I  want  to  repeat  that  at  all  of  the  de- 
liberations of  the  Plan  Committee  of  the 
Commercial  Club  and  of  the  Executive 
Connnittee  of  the  Chicago  Plan  Commis- 
sion there  has  not  been  a  single  dissenting 
voice  to  the  plan  just  outlined.  It  has  al- 
ways and  unanimously  been  declared  as  the 
only    practical  ])lan.     Poalizing,  however. 


\'ote  was  had,  ratifying  tlie  action  of  the 
Executive  Committee  in  the  ad()])tion  of 
Plan  No.  3  as  licing  the  tinal  ]ilan  the  Chi- 
cago Plan  Commission  would  stand  for  and 
recommend  to  your  honorable  body  for 
ado]ition  and  execution. 

"Plan  No.  3  provides  for  widening  ]\rich- 
igan  avenue  south  of  the  river  from  Ran- 
dolph street  to  130  feet;  Pine  street  north 
of  the  river  to  Chicago  avenue  to  146  feet ; 
with  plazas  approxinuitely  250  feet  square 
at  the  intersection  of  the  river  and  both 
street  connections.  In  other  details  the  iilan 
is  i^ractieally  the  same  as  ]ireviously  out- 


120 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE  PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


lined  in  Plan  No.  1.  The  argnments  of  the 
Chicago  Plan  Commission  in  favor  of  a 
raised  street,  are  as  follows : 

' '  1.  The  congestion  on  the  four  east  and 
west  streets  immediately  north  and  south 
of  the  river  of  teaming  traffic  headed  to 
and  from  the  I.  C.  freight  terminal  and  the 
new  industrial  district  north  of  the  river, 
in  connection  with  the  contemplated  outer 
harbor,  has  produced  and  will  continue  to 
increase  a  traffic  congestion  situation  im- 
paralleled  in  a  single  section  of  any  city  in 
the  world. 

' '  2.  The  plan  which  is  best  adapted  to  im- 
prove the  existing  conditions  of  intolerable 
congestion  at  these  points,  is  the  plan  of  a 
raised  street,  as  it  will  separate  these  east 


to  3  per  cent,  for  the  benefit  of  commercial 
teaming. 

"3.  This  plan  takes  into  account  also  the 
Randolph  street  viaduct  traffic,  by  diverting 
it  into  Beaubien  court  and  distributing  it 
at  Lake  street  under  the  raised  street.  This 
plan  also  will  allow  the  C.  &  N.  W.  E.  E.  to 
remain  at  its  present  grade,  any  other  plan 
excepting  the  railway  were  lowered  to  a 
subway  tunnel,  would  force  the  teaming 
north  and  south  over  grades  altogether  too 
steep,  and  would  shut  out  the  present  ap- 
proaches from  North  Eiver  street  and 
Michigan  street  to  the  bridge. 

"4.  A  surface  road  south  of  the  river, 
by  reason  of  the  difference  in  elevations  be- 
tween Michigan  avenue  and  Beaubien  court, 


■^^^  Czv£   l/:<ir  To  23ouz.TpyLZiz>   UTiycr^zrri? 

Diagram    of    North    and    South    Boulevard    Connection,  showing    width    of    street    North    and    South    of    the    River 
and  the  zone  of  tlie  proposed  improvement,  indicating  all   intersecting  thoroughfares. 


and  west  streams  of  traffic  from  the  north 
and  soi;th  traffic  on  Michigan  avenue. 

' '  Independently  of  this,  it  is  the  only  one 
which  improves  the  grades  of  existing 
streets ;  by  it,  are  reduced  the  grades  of  the 
east  and  west  streets  leading  to  the  Michi- 
gan Central  and  the  I.  C.  freight  yards  and 
the  approaclies  to  the  bridge  north  and 
south. 

"The  grades  of  the  east  and  west  streets 
are  now  approximately  4  per  cent ;  they  will 
be  reduced  to  2  per  cent.  Those  north  and 
south,  now  5  per  cent,  are  to  be  made  2  1-2 


and  the  shortening  of  the  run  by  reason  of 
the  widening  of  Michigan  avenue,  would 
produce  grades  of  10  per  cent,  which  are 
impossible  for  teaming.  The  only  alterna- 
tive would  be  the  lowering  of  Lake,  South 
Water  and  Eiver  streets  as  subways. 

"5.  In  the  case  of  the  surface  arrange- 
ment the  inclines  on  the  east  and  west 
streets  would  have  to  extend  to  Waljash 
avenue,  thus  affecting  property  on  either 
side  of  these  streets  to  a  detrimental  extent. 

"In  addition  to  this,  the  teaming  to  and 
from  the  freight  yards,  bound  for  the  north 


CONNECTING   BOULEVARD   LINK  — MICHIGAN   AVE. 


121 


side  to  the  indnslrial  district  east  of  Pino 
street,  would  have  to  cross  the  State  street 
bridge,  thus  making  a  long  detour. 

"In  the  plan  as  i^roposed,  the  grades  of 
the  approaches  to  the  raised  street  are  re- 
duced to  the  niininium,  that  on  the  soutli 
side  being  2.7  per  cent  and  on  tlic  nurth 
side  3  per  cent. 

"No  citizen  of  Chicago  acquainted  witli 
the  facts  can  denj-  that  intolerable  condi- 
tions (daily  growing  worse)  exist  on  Mich- 
igan avenue  from  Randolph  street  to  the 
Chicago  river  and  north  on  Rush  street 
from  the  Chicago  I'iver. 

"All   citizens    of    Chicago,    and    all    ac- 


niaterialize  along  the  lake  sliore,  north  and 
south  of  the  main  branch  of  the  Chicago 
river,  the  enormous  commercial  and  indus- 
trial development,  already  taking  place  in 
the  district  bounded  by  Chicago  avenue  on 
the  north,  the  main  Ijranch  of  the  Chicago 
river  on  the  south.  Lake  Michigan  nn  the 
east  and  the  north  l)raneh  of  the  Chicago 
river  on  the  west. 

"It  has  been  well  said: 

"  'The  heart  of  Chicago  extends  from 
Halsted  street  to  the  lake,  and  from  the 
main  branch  of  the  river  to  Twelfth  street. 
Within  a  few  years,  it  will  spread  to  Ash- 
land avenue    on    the  west,  Twenty-second 


I  M  I  1     I    I    I   .  :  I-      I 


i  :.  uu  1  !.,  i-.-i:!;:n  riTfr-i-!- '     ■ 


H^ 


A- 


J^;  ^  ^, 


^ 


v»'-^^ 


Section  through  Michigan  Avenue  between  Lalie  Street  and  Snutli  Water  Street  Iool?ing  West,  showins 
raised  street  with  upper  and  lower  levels,  w^ith  crossings  at  Lalie  and  South  Water  Streets-  This  illustration 
shows  store  entrances  on  upper  level  directly  off  the  sidewalk,  also  showing  l>asernent  entrances  on  lower  or 
grrade  level  where  shipping  and  heavy  teaming  will  be  done.  In  contemplating  this  drawing  it  must  he  remem- 
Vjered  buildings  have  been  effaced  on  the  East  side,  the  purpose  being  merely  to  show  to  the  mind's  eye  the  two 
levels  in  operation. 


quainted  with  the  facts,  know  that  some 
plan  for  properly  connectin.g  the  north  and 
south  sides  of  oi;r  great  city,  must  be  de- 
veloped and  executed  at  an  early  date ;  thai 
the  plan  must  be  a  comjirehensive  one,  not 
sufficient  for  today  alone,  but  also  for  the 
future,  and  that  the  plan  to  be  finally  ad- 
opted by  your  Honorable  Board,  must  take 
into  account  the  needs  of  the  whole  city. 
Therefore,  this  proposition  has  grown  to  be 
of  such  importance  to  the  future  welfare  of 
Chicago,  that  personal  interests  can  no 
longer  be  considered.  The  interests  of  a 
few  must  make  waj'  for  the  interests  of  the 
man}-.  This  I  say,  taking  into  consideration 
the   future  harbor  developments,    sure   to 


street  on  the  south  and  Chicago  avenue  on 
the  north.  This  heart  of  Chica.go  is  badly 
congested,  although  most  of  tlie  buildings 
within  the  territory  are  low. 

"  'Street  traffic  conditions  in  this  district 
will  become  insuft'eral)le  if  the  buildings 
reach  the  full  height  permitted  by  law.  That 
practically  all  of  them  will  go  up  to  the  lim- 
it, there  is  little  doubt.'  Property  values 
will  make  that  imperative. 

"In  this  connection,  remember  that  no 
street  can  ever  be  widened  between  Michi- 
gan avenue  and  the  south  branch  of  the 
river. 

"In  one  of  our  pamphlets  we  reach  the 
conclusion,  and  we  challeiiii'e  contradiction 


122 


WACKER'S   MANUAL    OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


of  the  statement,  that  'Michigan  avenue  is 
probably  destined  to  carry  the  heaviest 
movement  of  any  street  in  the  world.  Any 
boulevard  connection  in  Michigan  avenue 
which  fails  to  recognize  the  basic  import- 
ance of  this  street  will  be  a  waste  of  money 
and  energy.  Any  impairment  of  the  cajiac- 
ity  of  this  street,  at  any  point  along  its  en- 
tire front,  and  any  weakening  of  this  foun- 
dation, is  a  grave  error  of  the  first  magni- 
tude.' 

"A  careful  study  of  our  conditions  has 
acquainted  us  with  our  needs.  We  believe 
in  the  future  of  our  great  city  and  we  must 
adequately  provide  for  her  needs  and  assist 
in  securing  the  adoption  of  a  plan  or  be 
held  responsible  by  posterity  for  our  ne- 
glect. 

"Procrastination  marks  the  beginning  of 
the  end.  Delay  will  make  the  execution  of 
many  of  the  important  and  now  feasible 
features  infeasible,  the  practical  impracti- 
cal, the  possible  impossible,  the  economical 
extravagant. 

"On  the  other  hand,  if  these  plans  for 
Chicago's  betterment  are  now  carried  out 
in  a  practical  and  economical  manner,  the 
record  of  the  present  City  administration, 
including  Mayor,  City  Council  and  Board 
of  Local  Im]ii'ovements,  will  become  a  bea- 
con light  in  the  history  of  our  great  city  for 
the  constructive  work  they  were  big  enough 
to  undertake." 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  hearing  the 
Board  of  Local  Improvements  ordered  an 
estimate  to  be  made  on  the  plan  submitted 
by  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission  known  as 
Plan  No.  3 — arguments  to  be  heard  on  that 
plan  at  a  subsequent  hearing. 

1.  What  sectinn  of  the  quadrangle  is  really  the 

hase  line  of  the  city's  traffic? 

2.  Wiry  is  a  great  development  of  Michigan 

Avenue  proposedf 

3.  What   does   the   improvement   of  Michigan 

Avenue  contemplate? 


4. 

r,. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

n. 

10. 

11. 

12. 
J.i\ 
14. 

ir,. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 
20. 


21. 


■5-; 


20. 


Describe  the  bridge. 

What  arrangements  are  proposed  fur  east 
and  locst  traffic? 

Describe  the  grade. 

What  would  the  completion  of  the  north  and 
south  connecting  link  give  Chicago? 

How  does  the  value  of  this  work  compare 
with  the  estimated  cost? 

What  would  the  building  of  the  connecting 
link  attract? 

Who  would  be  benefited? 

What  is  attractiveness  in  a  comm,unity? 

Why  is  Michigan  Avenue  more  than  the 
main  connecting  thoroughfare  between 
the  north  and  south  sides? 

Why  will  the  extension  of  Michigan  Avenue 
to  the  north  enhance  the  value  of  abutting 
real  estate? 

Who  shoxdd  he  the  first  to  recognize  their 
opportunity  and  co-operate  in  this  needed 
improvement? 

What  is  Michigan  Avenue  dtstined  to  carry? 

What  does  it  mean  to  refuse  to  recognize  the 
importance  of  this  thoroughfare  in  any 
improvement? 

Who  ivas  one  of  the  very  first  advocates  of 
the  boulevard  connection? 

What  did  the  Mayor  ask  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil in  a  letter  dated  May  10,  1904? 

What  u'as  the  special  committee  to  learn? 

On.  what  date  and  in  ivhat  year  did  the  spe- 
cial committee  submit  a  report  favoring 
an  ordinance  for  the  Michigan  Avenue 
improvement? 

What  was  the  judgment  of  the  committee 
on  the  payment  for  the  improvement? 

What  did  the  full  committee,  including  eight 
real  estate  experts,  finally  unanimously 
recommend,  and  why? 

Why  did  the  Committee  recommend  that 
the  Council  without  delay  secure  the  pas- 
sage of  the  necessary  ordinance  to  hi  gin 
the  work? 

What  elate  and  year  was  the  order  passed? 

What  did  the  Mayor  do  up  to  the  very  close 
of  his  administration  ? 

Why  was  nothing  done  to  forward  the  Mich- 
igan Avenue  improvement  during  the  suc- 
ceeding administrations  ? 

What  was  the  coincidrncr  that  befell  the 
Mayor  who  first  advocated  the  boulevard 
connection? 


CONNE("TING    BOULEVARD    LINK  — MICHIGAN   AVE. 


12: 


28.  WJiat  (lid  the   Ch'uaqo  Plan  Commission's 

E.ceciiiivc  ('oiiiniiUcr  do  ivithin  two 
months  aft( r  tin  Mayor's  election? 

29.  WJiiif  did  the  Mdijar  declare  himself  in  favor 

iif  iifhr  (I  enrefid  sliidij  of  the  Commis- 
sion 's  plans  ' 

30.  On  what  date  and  in  wlial  ijear  did  the  Ex- 

ecutive Committee  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  lay  before  the  Mayor  a  defi- 
nite plan  for  the  boulevard  link.' 

31.  For  what  did  the  plan  provide? 

32.  What  is  the  grade  from  Randolph  to  Lake 

Street?  From  Ohio  to  Indiana  Street? 
State  in  order. 

33.  What   grade   is   the   distance   between   Lake 

and  Indiana  Streets  to  be? 

34.  How  much  is  the  roadwai/  to  be  raised  at 

Ohio  Street? 

35.  How  much,  are  Lake  and  Michigan  Streets 

to  be  lowered? 

3G.  Where  are  South  and  North  Ricer  Streets 
to  be  gently  graded? 

37.  Hoiv  much  are  Illinois  and  Indiana  Streets 

to  be  lowered,  and  xvhere?  State  in  or- 
der. 

38.  What  is  the  style  of  bridge  to  be  buUl  over 

the  river? 

39.  What  are  the  grades  of  teaming  approach( s 

to  the  lower  deck  of  the  bridge? 

40.  What  is   the  subdivision,   cast   to   west,   of 

new  street  south  of  river? 

41.  What  is  the  subdivision,  east   to   west,  of 

neiv  street  north  of  river? 

42.  Where  are  stainvays  to  be  placed  for  access 

to  upper  street? 

43.  On  jvhat  date  and  year  did  the  Mayor  per- 

sonally endorse  this  plan? 

44.  On  7chat  date  and  year  did  the  entire  Chi- 

cago Plan  Commission  unanimously  adopt 
this  as  its  official  plan? 

45.  When  did  the  City  of  Chicago  act  in  the 

matter  and  how? 

46.  Who  represented  the  Chicago  Plan  Commis- 

sion at  the  public  hearing  July  12,  1911? 

47.  Who  submitted  the  plan  for  the  Michigan 

Avenue  improvement  to  the  Board  of 
Local  Improvements  at  the  public  hear- 
ing? 


48. 


49. 


50. 
51. 


55. 


56. 


6(1. 
61. 

62. 

nr,. 

61. 
65. 


Who  did  the  Chairman  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  say  had  for  si.c  years  studied 
plans  for  adeejuatdy  connietiug  the 
north  and  south  sides? 

How  many  meetings  wen  hi  Id  during  si.t 
yiars'  study  on  the  wid(  ning  and  projec- 
tion of  Mieliigan  Avenue? 

What  was  considered  at  these  meetings? 

During  the  vast  researches  of  the  organiza- 
tion what  one  plan  overshadowed  auij 
other? 

What  provision  did  tin  original  Plan  No.  1 
make  for  the  width  of  Michigan  Avenue 
south  and  north  of  the  river? 

Where  xvas  there  not  a  single  dissenting 
voice  to  original  Plan  No.  1? 

On  ichat  date  and  in  what  year  did  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  meet  and  review  all  condi- 
tions, plans  and  suggestions? 

What  action  teas  taken  at  the  meeting  of 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Chicago 
Plan  Comneission  July  6,  1911? 

State  in  order  the  arguments  of  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission  in  favor  of  a  raised 
street. 

What  is  it  that  no  citizen  of  Chicago  ac- 
quainted with  the  facts  can  deny? 

What  is  it  that  all  citizens  of  Chicago,  at  all 
acejuainted  with  the  facts,  know? 

What  is  it  that  can  no  longer  be  considered 
in  connection  with  an  adeeiiiaie  plan  for 
the  connecting  link? 

What  must  make  way  for  Ihi    interests  of 

the  many? 
By  whom  and  for  what  irill  we  be  held  re- 

sponsibh  if  we  do  not  adiejuately  provide 

for  the  needs  of  the  future  city? 
What  is  if  that  marks  the  beginning  of  the 

end? 

What  effect  will  delay  in  execution  have  on 
many  of  the  important  fiaturcs  of  the 
plan? 

If  the  plans  for  Chicago's  betterment  arc 
carried  out  in  a  practical  and  economieal 
nianner,  what  will  become  a  beacon  light 
in  the  history  of  our  great  city? 

What  action  did  the  Board  of  Local  Im- 
provements take  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
public  hearing  July  12,  1911? 


The  World's  Columbian 
Honor.  Looking  Towards  the 
an     Orderly     Arrangement     of 


Exposition,  Chicagi>.  In'.iM.  Tho  i 'oiirt  of 
Peristyle.  This  View  Shows  the  Effect  of 
Buildings     and     a     Uniform     Cornice     Line. 


A    I'AKK   SYSTEM    FOR   CIIICAOO 


125 


CHArTER  XV 


A  PARK  SYSTEM  FOR 
CHICAGO 

Next  to  convenience  and  orderliness  in 
its  street  arrangements  the  most  essential 


have  been  n]>lly  compared  with  the  lungs 
of  a  person,  as  means  hy  which  the  city  and 
its  people  get  the  stimulus  of  fresh  air  so 
necessary  to  normal  well-being. 

The  desire  of  the  people  for  extensive 
parks  for  Chica,2:o  has  always  been  mani- 
fest. When  Chica.n'o  became  a  city,  in  18,37, 
it  chose  as  its  motto  Urhs  ui  Hoito — a  cily 


CHICAGO.     View    Looking    Soutli    Ovur    tlie    Lagoons    of    the    Proposed    l^alit'    Front    Purlj    for 

tile  Soutll   Sliore. 
[Copyrigiited   by   tlie   Commercial   Clulj.] 


thing  in  a  great  city  is  a  sufficient  park  area. 
When,  therefore,  Chicago  is  cutting  new 
streets  and  solving  her  problems  of  traffic 
and  transportation  by  that  labor,  provision 
ought  also  to  be  made  for  the  lieantification 
of  the  city  and  the  preservation  of  pulilic 
health  by  means  of  parks.    Parks  of  a  city 


set  in  a  garden,  and  two  years  later  the 
l)eople  set  al)()ut  ci-cating  for  the  city  a  park 
system  wliicli  slioulil  justify  to  the  world 
that  description  of  the  city.  At  that  time 
half  a  square  of  land,  upon  which  the  Public 
Library  now  stands,  was  all  the  park  area 
in    Chicago.    In  1842  Washington  Square 


12G 


WACKER'S   MANUAL    OP   THE    PLAN    OK    (■|1ICA(;() 


was  added,  and  subsequently  Jefferson, 
Union,  Ellis  and  Vernon  Parks  came  into 
being,  mostly  tlirouyli  the  generosity  and 
public  spirit  of  tlie  citizens. 

In  1869  an  agitation  was  begun  to  connect 
the  ]iarks  by  boulevards,  and  thus  create  a 
park   system.     This   agitation   succeeded, 


cago  tliere  are  nearly  five  thousand  people 
to  each  acre  of  park  si)ace.  The  average 
for  the  entire  city  is  close  to  one  thousand 
persons  to  the  acre,  while  for  health  and 
good  order  there  should  be  one  acre 
of  ]iark  space  for  eacli  one  hundred 
peojile. 


CHICAGO.     Lake  shore  from  Chicago  Avenue  on  the  north    to   Jackson  Park   on   the   south.     A   general   scheme 
is   to   be   carried    as   far   north   as   Wilmettc.      This    park,     enclosing    lagoons    for    boating,     would     be     a     continuous 
playground  for  the  people  and  may  be  built  at  practically    no    cost     by    utilizing    the    wastage    from    the     city    and  ' 
excavated  material. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


and  with  the  addition  of  Lincoln,  Hum 
boldt,  Garfield,  Douglas,  Washington  and 
Jackson  Parks  to  the  city's  open-air  areas 
the  park  system  became  the  pride  of  Chi- 
cago. The  adding  of  large  park  lands  to 
the  city  stopped,  however,  over  forty  years 
ago.  In  1880  Chicago  was  the  second  city 
in  America  in  park  area,  being  exceeded 
only  by  Philadelphia.  The  city  has  now 
dropped  to  seventh  place,  however,  and 
when  density  of  population  is  taken  into 
account  our  city  occupies  the  thirty-seventh 
jilace  among  American  municipalities.  At 
least  half  the  population  of  Chicago  now 
live  more  than  one  mile  from  any  large 
park,  and  in  the  congested  sections  of  Chi- 


Three  great  elements  make  up  the  i)ark 
plans  of  the  future  city  under  the  Plan  of 
Chicago.  First,  there  is  the  lake  front  to 
be  imjiroved,  beautified  and  put  at  the 
service  of  the  city's  millions  for  the  crea- 
tion and  preservation  of  public  health. 
Second,  there  is  provision  to  be  made  for 
extending  the  park  areas  within  the  city, 
that  wholesome  and  necessary  recreation 
may  be  close  at  hand  for  the  people  in  all 
]iarts  of  the  great  future  city.  Third, 
there  are  the  wide  areas  of  forest  and 
stream  outside  of  the  corporate  limits,  but 
upon  the  borders  of  the  city,  to  be  acquired 
and  held  in  their  natural  state  as  places 
where  the  citv-worn  wiirker  and  his  familv 


A   PARK    SYSTEM    FOR   CHICAGO 


127 


may  rest  and  wander  freely  in  holiday  and 
vacation  time. 

In  considering  the  park  plans  we  may 
well  take  np  these  three  elements  in  the 
order  given,  as  conditions  within  the  city 
ai^pear  to  he  snch  now  that  the  plans  can 
prohably  be  completed  easiest  in  the  order 
named.  First  attention,  then,  will  be  given 
the  plans  for  the  lake  front,  which  form  at 
once  one  of  the  great  and  spectacular  fea- 
tures of  the  plan,  and  one  easiest  to  be 
carried  out. 

We  have  all  heard,  perhaps,  of  the  con- 
ditions years  ago  when  the  sewers  of  the 
city  emptied  into  the  lake,  and  so  poisoned 
the  water  supply  of  Chicago.  We  over- 
came that  trouble,  and  sought  to  secure  for 
Chicago  a  source  of  pure  water  forever  by 
digging,  at  a  cost  of  $60,000,000,  a  wide 
drainage  canal  running  southwesterly  from 
the  city  and  emptying  into  the  Desplaines 
river,  whereby  the  city's  sewage  is  carried 
away  into  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  river. 

Chicago  engaged  upon  that  great  work 
of  digging  the  drainage  canal  that  its  citi- 
zens might  have  pure  water  to  drink.  It 
was  one  of  the  greatest  undertakings  ever 
made  bj'  any  city,  and  attracted  to  Chicago 
the  admiration  of  all  the  world.  Yet  to- 
day there  is  being  dumped  into  the  lake  off 
Chicago  every  year  thousands  of  tons  of 
refuse  matter,  including  street  sweepings 
and  dredgings  of  tilth  from  the  bed  of  the 
river.  This  imperils  the  health  of  all  of 
us  and  at  the  same  time  proves  us  a  most 
wasteful  people. 

Under  the  Plan  of  Chicago  for  the  bean- 
tification  of  the  lake  front,  all  this  refuse 
matter  is  to  be  dumped  close  to  the  shore, 
far  from  the  water  intakes  and  within 
tightly  sealed  cofferdams.  Islands  are 
thus  to  be  created  along  the  entire  water 
front.  These  will  be  planted  with  trees 
and  gardens  and  opened  to  the  people  as 


])arks  and  playgrounds.  There  is  enough 
of  this  waste  material  now  thrown  into 
the  lake  every  year  to  thus  construct  one 
hundred  acres  of  land  for  parks  in  the  shal- 
low water  along  the  city's  shoreline.  It 
was  by  that  method  that  our  Grant  Park 
of  over  200  acres,  and  worth  many  millions 
of  dollars,  was  created  for  us. 

The  City  Engineer  of  Chicago  in  1911 
stated  that  Chicago  produces  an  annual 
total  of  waste  matter  close  to  4,660,000 
cubic  yards.  Of  this  he  figures  that  prob- 
ably 3,000,000  cubic  yards  goes  into  the 
lake.  This  material  includes  clay  from  ex- 
cavations, products  of  wrecking  operations, 
ashes,  cinders,  household  rubbish,  street 
sweepings,  factory  refuse,  and  all  manner 
of  waste  matter.  The  Sanitary  District 
within  the  next  several  years  will  make 
1,330,000  cubic  yards  of  new  excavations  on 
its  main  canal  in  addition  to  routine  dredg- 
ings and  the  spoil  from  the  Calumet  Chan- 
nel. Building  operations  and  other  fixed 
sources  of  supply  show  a  total  that  is 
larger  every  year.  Means  of  disposal  that 
have  been  adequate  in  the  past  will  fail  to 
be  in  the  future.  30,000  cubic  yards  of 
waste,  according  to  the  City  Engineer,  will 
raise  one  acre  five  feet  above  the  surface  in 
water  fifteen  feet  deep.  At  this  rate  the 
estimated  annual  3,000,000  cubic  yards,  if  it 
could  all  be  applied,  would  fill  in  each  year 
about  100  acres.  It  is  therefore  evident 
the  city  furnishes  the  raw  material  to  build 
public  domain  by  reclaiming  lake  area 
along  the  shore.  City  officials,  Sanitary 
District  engineers,  manufacturers  and 
building  contractors  all  agree  they  would 
be  saved  money  if  allowed  to  dispose  of 
waste  at  convenient  points  along  the  lake 
front.  The  daily  report  of  the  Department 
of  Public  Works,  Bureau  of  Streets,  of  the 
City  of  Chicago,  on  June  26,  1911,  cover- 
ing eight  wards,  was  as  follows : 


128 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


Ward 

Cubic  Yards 

Cubic  Yards 

No. 

Street  Dirt. 

of  Ashes. 

1   

182 

110 

•1 

56 

115 

3   

80 

130 

4  

72 

85 

6   

20 

160 

7  

54 

140 

18  

....           75 

90 

21   

72 

160 

611  990 

At  1,  600  cubic  yards  a  summer  day,  these 
eight  wards  would  make  a  20-foot  fill  an 
acre  in  extent  in  about  20  days.  The  total 
waste  of  the  city  is  divided  as  follows : 

Cubic  Yards. 

Dredging 500,000 

Building  excavation  &  wreckage.  .1,500,000 

Ashes  and  refuse  1,400,000 

Street  sweepings 1,000,000 

Tunnel  excavations   60,000 

In  these  figures  are  included  the  cinders 
and  ashes  produced.  According  to  the 
Black  Diamond,  a  coal  trade  publication, 
Chicago  consumes  yearly  11,000,000  tons  of 
coal.  Taking  10  per  cent  of  this  as  the  ash 
produced  gives  a  total  for  the  whole  city  of 
1,100,000  tons,  or  1,700,000  cubic  j^ards  of 
cinders  and  ashes.  Part  of  this  is  moved 
in  city  wagons  and  part  by  private  means. 

Wlien  this  work  is  started  Chicago  can  in 
five  years  create  upon  the  lake  front  land 
worth  at  least  $20,000,000  in  money  and  of 
a  future  value  beyond  computation.  With- 
in thirty  years,  expert  engineers  say,  a 
lake  front  park  system  extending  for  twen- 
ty miles  and  worth  hundreds  of  millions 
can  be  created  from  the  city's  waste. 

In  planning  the  lake  front  parks  the 
architects  took  into  account  the  demand 
of  the  people  for  extensive  areas  of  pleas- 
ure grounds,  and  also  the  desire  of  the 
people  to  have  a  place  for  boating,  canoe- 


ing, Italhing  and  other  water  enjoyments 
created.  They  answered  this  demand  in 
the  plans  with  provisions  for  islands  cov- 
ering hundreds  of  acres  along  the  shore, 
and  providing  a  wide  water  course  stretch- 
ing for  miles  along  the  city's  front,  this 
course  to  be  bordered  throughout  its  ex- 
tent by  park  lands  on  either  side. 

Beginning  at  Grant  Park  at  the  center  of 
the  city,  the  plans  provide  for  the  filling  in 
first  of  a  wide  strip  of  shore  land  facing 
the  open  lake,  this  strip  to  extend  solidly 
to  connect  with  Jackson  Park  on  the  south. 
The  strip  is  to  be  planted  with  trees  and 
given  informal  landscape  treatment  with 
flowers  and  shrubs  growing  throughout  its 
extent.  Along  this  shore  will  run  the  wa- 
ter course  for  small  craft,  for  sailboats, 
motor  boats,  canoes  -and  racing  shells. 
Beyond  the  water  course,  built  to  protect 
it  and  jDrovide  safety  and  shelter  forever 
to  pleasure  craft,  will  be  a  long  island 
planted  with  trees,  having  winding  walks 
and  driveways,  and  providing  frequent 
bathing  beaches  for  the  city's  summer 
multitudes. 

At  the  northern  terminus  of  the  long 
island  park  protecting  the  south  shore, 
which  will  be  at  the  foot  of  Twelfth  street, 
are  to  be  great  refectories  and  extensive 
boat  houses.  At  that  point  will  be  one 
entrance  to  the  main  harbor  of  Chicago, 
and  therefore  a  giant  lighthouse  and  life 
saving  station  will  be  there.  On  the  main 
shore,  in  the  mile  of  park  land  between 
Twenty-second  and  Twelfth  streets,  is  to 
be  a  wide  athletic  ground,  with  a  base- 
ball field,  a  running  track,  tennis  courts 
and  football  fields.  A  stadium  is  to  be 
built  for  all  kinds  of  athletic  contests,  and 
a  great  public  gymnasium  will  be  erected. 

Northward  from  the  athletic  field  of  the 
main  shore  and  the  refectories  and  boat- 
houses  of  the  island  terminus  will  stretch 


A    PAKK    SYSTEM    FOR   CHICAGO 


129 


tlie  magnificent  main  harbor  of  Chicago. 
Two  curving  breakwaters  will  extend  into 
the  lake,  defending  the  harbor  for  all  time 
and  defying  the  mightiest  of  storms.  Be- 
tween the  ends 
of 
tecting 


these  pro- 
arm  s 
will  pass  and 
repass  the 
greatest  vessels 
of  t  h  e  1  a  k  e  s. 
For  over  a 
mile,  or  from 
Twelfth  street 
to  Washington 
street,  the  har- 
bor will  be  set 
off  by  the  beau- 
ties of  Grant 
Park. 

At  the  nortli- 
0  r  n  extremity 
of  the  main 
harbor  will  be  a 
circle  of  piers 
from  which  the 
passenger  car- 
rying boats  of 
the  lakes  will 
make  their  sail- 
ings. The  piers, 
to  be  upon  an 
island  to  be 
built  in  the 
lake,  are  to  be 
reached  by 
street  ears  and 
carriages  b  y 
way  of  a  com- 
modious bridge 


.'■'■<'> 


mm 

M ■ 


CHICAGO.     Plan   of   a   park   pr6posei3   on   the   main    East-and-West 
axis  of  the  city  at  Congress  Street  and  Fifty-second  Avenue. 
[Copyrighted   by  the   Commercial   Club.] 


parks  a  mile  or  more  off  shore,  and  enclos- 
ing a  basin  a  mile  wide  and  nearly  two 
miles  long. 

In  the  disti'ict  from  the  mouth  of  the 

river  north  to 
Chicago  avenue 
the  lake  front 
is  to  be  im- 
])roved  by  crea- 
tion of  a  large 
island  wharfing 
system.  There 
will  dock  the 
lake  steamers 
devoted  to  mis- 
c  e  1 1  a  n  e  o  u  s 
trade  and  gen- 
eral commerce. 
There,  too,  the 
ship  s  in  the 
vegetable  a  n  d 
fruit  t  r  a  d  e 
across  the  lake 
will  discharge 
their  cargoes, 
and  reload  with 
Chicago  manu- 
factures for 
use  of  people  at 
the  other  ends 
of  their  routes. 
xVn  open  water- 
w  a  y  between 
the  wharves 
and  shore  will 
serve  for  pas- 
sage of  all 
craft  desiring 
either  to  enter 
the    rive  r    or 


opposite  the  foot  of  Randolph  street.  A 
yaelit  harbor  is  to  be  provided  off  Jackson 
Park,  where  the  water  is  quite  shallow,  by 
the  creation  of  an  encircling  line  of  island 


traverse  the  passage  between  the  south  and 
north  park  systems. 

To  the  northward  of  Chicago  avenue  the 
lake  front  plans  vary  in  detail  from  the 


130 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


south  shore  plan.  The  islands  will  be  built 
a  little  farther  olt'  shore.  The  lagoon 
skirting  the  shore  will  be  narrower,  but  will 
continue  unbroken  and  giving  protection 
for  small  craft  until  it  connects  with  the 
yacht  harbor  and  park  already  established 
at  AVilmette,  which  is  over  twenty  miles 
distant  from  Jackson  Park.  xVt  that  point 
begins  the  north  cliannel  of  the  drainage 
district,  which  canal  now  cuts  through 
Evanston  and  connects  with  the  north 
branch  of  Chicago  river  at  the  city's  north- 
ern limits. 

Throughout  this  twenty  miles  of  lake 
front  parks  there  will  be  frequent  ways  of 
access  to  the  islands.  Every  half  mile, 
perhaps,  there  will  be  a  wide  bridge  arch- 
ing gracefully  across  the  lagoons  and  wa- 
terways, inviting  the  people  to  recreation 
and  rest  upon  the  cool,  airy,  tree-shaded 
islands.  There  will  be  unlimited  relief  from 
the  summer's  heat  for  the  city's  millions 
and  the  city's  guests,  and  in  winter  unlim- 
ited enjoyment  of  all  outdoor  sports  upon 
the  frozen  surfaces  of  the  lake  waterways. 

As  a  side  feature  of  the  lake  front  plans 
it  is  proposed  to  drive  a  winding  canal 
through  the  Midway  Plaisance  on  the  south 
side,  connecting  the  lagoons  of  Jackson 
and  Washington  Parks.  Boulevards  would 
skirt  this  waterway,  by  whicli  pleasure 
craft  could  make  their  way  far  into  the 
heart  of  the  residence  section  of  the  citj'. 
The  earth  removed  in  this  work  could  be 
used  in  constructing  the  islands  in  the  lake 
nearby. 

The  second  element  in  park  development 
for  the  future  Chicago  aims  to  create  new 
parks  upon  a  scale  in  accordance  with  the 
needs  of  the  city,  and  after  a  fashion  to  ex- 
press the  size,  wealth  and  importance  of 
Chicago.  Considering  the  shape  of  the 
city,  the  location  of  the  great  body  of  its 
citizens,  the  direction  of  future  growth,  the 


manner  of  laying  out  the  streets  and  boule- 
vards, and  all  other  conditions  affecting 
park  plans,  it  was  decided  that  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  should  provide  three  large  city 
parks.  There  is  to  be  one  in  each  section 
of  the  city,  and  the  plan  is  to  connect  the 
three  by  a  boulevard  which  in  its  scope  and 
character  will  give  the  Chicago  i)ark  sys- 
tem world-wide  distinction. 

Because  of  the  great  number  of  people 
living  on  the  west  side,  and  because  in  cre- 
ating an  ideal  street  system  the  west  side 
was  the  most  important  factor,  it  was  de- 
cided to  give  to  that  side  of  the  city  the 
largest  single  park  in  Chicago,  and  make 
that  park  the  center  of  the  future  city's 
park  system.  The  park  system,  as  planned, 
bears  more  perfect  relations  to  the  rest 
of  the  future  city  than  do  the  parks  of 
any  other  citj-  in  the  world. 

As  the  street  system  has  been  planned, 
the  main  east-and-west  axis  of  the  future 
Chicago  is  to  be  in  Congress  street.  It  is 
upon  that  thoroughfare,  then,  that  the 
great  west  side  park  has  been  projected. 
The  park,  as  planned,  is  to  be  more  than 
two  miles  long  and  approximately  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  wide.  It  will  contain, 
approximately,  1,000  acres.  Its  eastern  ex- 
tremity is  to  be  in  Fiftieth  avenue,  and  it 
will  extend  west  to  beyond  Sixty-fourth 
avenue.    The  park  is  rectangular  in  shape. 

The  south  side  park,  as  projected,  is  to 
cover  the  square  mile  of  territory  bounded 
on  the  east  and  west  by  South  Western  and 
South  Kedzie  avenues,  and  on  the  north 
and  south  by  Garfield  boulevard  and  Sixty- 
third  street.  It  will  include,  also,  150  or 
more  acres  of  land  lying  to  the  north  and 
east  of  the  square,  making  the  total  area 
of  the  projected  park  about  800  acres. 
There  are  very  few  buildings  at  present 
upon  this  great  tract. 

The  north  side  park,  as  projected,  is  to 


A   PARK    SYSTEM    FOR   ('11I('A(;() 


l:il 


be  of  about  the  same  size  as  that  on  tlic 
south  side,  but  of  slightlj'  different  shape. 
Tlie  territory  selected  for  this  park  is 
bounded  on  the  east  and  west  bj"  Nortli 
Western  avenue  and  Wliipple  street,  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  apart.  Its  north  boun- 
dary is  Lawrence  avenue,  and  its  south 
boundary  is  to  be  south  of  Irving  Park- 
boulevard,  making  the  park  something  over 
a  mile  in  its 
north  and 
south  dimen- 
s  i  o  n.  The 
park  is  to  in- 
c  1  u  d  e,  also, 
some  terri- 
tory 1  y  i  n  g 
south  of  Ivv- 
i  n  g  P  a  1-  k 
b  o  u  1  e  vard 
a  n  d  o  t  h  e  i' 
territory  t  o 
the  eastward 
of  North 
Western  av- 
enue. 

To  connect 
the  three 
p  a  r  ks  the 
a  r  c  h  i  t  ects 
have  project- 
ed a  great 
c  u  r  V  i  n  g 
b  o  u  1  e  vard. 
This  is  to  be 
a  very  wide 
thoroughfare,  drawn  as  though  it  were  part 
of  the  border  of  a  great  circle  having  its 
center  at  South  Halsted  and  West  Cong- 
ress streets,  where  is  planned  the  civic 
center  of  the  future  city.  Beginning  at 
Tiarfield  boulevard,  within  the  great  south 
side  park,  the  boulevard  swings  in  an  arc 
northward  and  westward.     It  reaches  its 


CHICAGO.     Plan   of  a  park   proposed  at   Western   Boulevard   and    Gai- 
fleld  Boulevard,  being  an  extension  of  Gagre  Park. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial  Club.] 


Avcsleru  extremity  within  the  west  side 
park  at  Fifty-second  avenue  and  swings 
eastward  and  northward,  terminating 
williiu  the  north  side  ]iark  at  Irving  Park 
boulevard.  M^esterii  avenue  lies  in  a 
straight  line  for  eleven  miles  between  the 
ends  of  this  sweeping,  bow-shaped  boule- 
vard. The  great  way  itself  is  over  tliii- 
teen  miles  from  end  to  end. 

The  acqui 
sition  of  the 
n  e  c  e  s  s  ar,v 
ground  and 
creation  o  f 
these  three 
])  a  )■  ks  a  11  <1 
the  bow 
1)  o  u  1  e  V  ard 
w  o  u  1  d  a  p- 
])  r  oximately 
d  o  u  b  1  e  the 
area  of  Chi- 
cago 's  s  y  s- 
tem  of  larger 
p  arks.  If 
this  were  to 
be  done  to- 
day Chicago 
would  be  on- 
ly on  an  even 
basis  as  to 
park  area 
with  the  most 
p  r  o  gressive 
cities.  This 
nmch  p  a  r  k 
extension  work  is  necessary  even  now,  and 
much  more  than  this  must  be  done  by  way 
of  creating  small  park  areas  within  the 
city  as  the  population  of  Chicago  increases. 
No  single  ]iark  plan  ever  undertaken  by 
any  city,  however,  is  as  pretentions,  bold 
and  inspiring  as  is  this  plan  for  the  thi'ee 
large  parks  for  Chicago,  and  to  adopt  the 


132 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


plan  and  develop  such  a  park  system 
would  give  us  of  today  world-wide  fame  as 
city  builders. 

Modern  cities  have  learned  that  they 
must  not  confine  their  park  land  projects 
to  their  own  limits,  but  must  go  beyond 
them  and  out  into  the  open  country  to  pro- 
vide recreation  areas  for  their  people. 
Every  Euroiiean  capital  has  its  forest 
parks  outside  of  its  limits,  but  within  easy 
reach  of  its  people.  Thus  in  summer  Lon- 
don, Paris,  Berlin  and  Vienna  are  on  Sun- 
days desert- 
ed by  their 
millions,  the 
people  d  i  s  - 
p  e  r  s  i  ng  to 
t  ]i  e  o  p  en 
country  park 
lands  and  the 
f  0  r  e  s  ts  set 
aside  for 
their  use  and 
e  n  j  o  y  ment 
forever.  Tn 
this  country 
other  cities, 
notably  Xew 
York  in  its 
acquirement 
of  the  pictur- 
esque country  along  the  Hudson  river,  are 
acquiring  outer  territory  for  park  pur- 
poses. 

Tlius  it  has  been  that  in  the  creation  of 
the  Plan  of  Chicago  means  of  securing  for- 
est places  for  the  people  have  been  pro- 
vided. Xo  more  beautiful  country  exists 
than  the  wooded  territory  surrounding 
Chicago  on  all  sides.  Much  of  this  land 
can  be  acquired  now  at  small  cost,  and  a 
great  part  of  the  investment  would  begin 
at  once  returning  to  Chicago  in  the  in- 
creased health  and  happiness  of  her  peo- 


CHICAGO.     Plan   of  a  park  proposed  at  the  North  Branch  of  the  Chi- 
cago River  and  Graceland  Avenue. 

[Copyrighted  by  the  Commercial   Club.] 


pie  mucli  more  every  year  than  the  cost  of 
securing  it  for  the  use  of  the  people. 

The  spaces  to  be  acquired  should  be  wild 
forests,  filled  with  such  trees,  vines,  flowers 
and  shrubs  as  will  grow  in  this  climate. 
Country  roads  and  paths  should  be  run 
through  them  and  the  people  should  be  al- 
lowed and  encouraged  to  use  them  freely. 
Provisional  search  has  resulted  in  plans 
for  setting  aside  five  reserves  for  ])ublic 
forests. 

The  largest  of  these  forest  tracts  select- 
ed is  that  of 
tlie  S  k  o  k  i  e 
^■alley,  com- 
prising about 
8,(100  acres, 
lying  to  the 
northward  of 
Chicago,  and 
extend  ing 
1)  a  c  k  from 
G  1  e  n  c  oe  to 
include  the 
valley  of  Chi- 
c  a  g  0  river, 
s  t  r  e  t  c  liiug 
southerly  in- 
to the  limits 
of  the  city. 
To  the 
nortliwest  it  is  proposed  to  secure  for  the 
use  of  the  people  a  large  part  of  the  Des- 
plaines  river  valley,  these  reserves  extend- 
ing southward  along  the  entire  western 
edge  of  the  city,  and  including  some  most 
beautiful  water  courses. 

Still  further  westward  the  better  part  of 
the  Elmhurst  and  Salt  Creek  country, 
which  is  wild,  rough  and  full  of  natural 
scenic  beauties,  has  been  selected  as  proper 
territory  to  retain  for  the  continued  use  of 
the  people  of  future  Chicago. 

To  the  southwestward  the  Plan  of  Chi- 


A   PARK   SYSTEM   FOK    CIIK'A(;0 


133 


cago  looks  to  securing  wide  areas  along 
the  Desplaines  ri\er,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Mount  Forest,  where  the  country  is  high 
and  wooded,  and  affords  some  fine  views. 

The  Lake  Cahimet  country,  nmcli  of  it 
within  the  city  limits,  is  considered  as  af- 
fording most  desirable  territory  to  acquire 
for  forests  for  the  people.  This  reserve, 
lying  upon  the  edge  of  the  great  southern 
steel  and  industrial  section  of  the  city, 
would  be  highly  desirable  as  affording  to 
the  workers  of  that  section  opportunities 
for  healthful  rest  and  recreation. 

In  the  period  of  less  than  a  century  that 
modern  man  has  been  permitted  to  enjoy 
the  delights  of  city  life  and  have  the  many 
comforts  that  community  existence  pro- 
vides, he  has  learned  that  great  danger  to 
mankind  lurks  in  the  existence  of  cities. 
City  life  is  an  intense  life,  many  times  more 
wearing  upon  the  nerves  than  country  life. 
It  is  this  strain  of  city  life  which  increases 
insanity  and  brings  weaknesses  of  many 
kinds  to  shorten  life  and  deprive  the  peo- 
ple of  their  vigor.  There  is  onlj"  one  way 
known  bj'  which  a  community  may  lessen 
these  ills  or  do  away  with  them,  and  thai 
is  by  increasing  park  areas  and  by  creating 
conditions  which  invite  the  people  to  an 
athletic,  out-of-doors  life. 

To  upbuild  Chicago,  to  enable  her  to  keep 
her  place  in  commerce  and  to  grow  in  pow- 
er in  the  modern  stressful  warfare  of  trade, 
it  is  necessary  above  all  else  to  maintain 
and  increase  the  vigor  of  her  people.  The 
only  way  to  do  this,  and  the  best  way  to 
do  it,  is  to  bear  constantly  in  mind  the  ne- 
cessity and  wisdom  of  always  and  active- 
ly working  in  behalf  of  the  park  projects 
contained  in  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

1.  What  is  the  most  essential  thing  in  a  great 

eity,  next  to  convenience  and  nrrlrj-Iinrss 
in  its  street  arrangement? 

2.  When  Chicago  is  ciitling  new  streets  ami 


IJ. 

I . 

8. 

!). 

10. 

IJ. 
12. 


14. 
15. 

16. 
17. 


18. 
19. 


20. 


21. 
22. 
23. 


21. 


solving  hir  probh  ms  of  traffic  and  tran.s- 
porlalion,  what  olh<  r  provision  oni/Iit  also 
to  be  madt  .' 

How  have  parks  of  a  cihj  bcLH  aplhj  com- 
pared with  the  lungs  of  a  person. ^ 

In  what  year  were  Washington  .SV/ua/v  and 
./(ffcrson,  Union,  Ellis  and  Vernon  Parks 
created  f 

In  what  year  was  an  agilalidn  higini  to  con- 
nect the  parl,s  by  boulevards  and  thns 
create  a  park  syston? 

What  parks  were  added  to  the  city's  open 
air  areas,  making  the  park  system  the 
pride  of  Chicago? 

In  what  year  was  Chicago  second  in  park 
area  and  what  city  exceeded  her? 

To  what  place  has  Chicago  now  drupped  in 
parte  area? 

How  far  do  half  tlie  people  of  Chicago  now 
live  from  any  large  park? 

How  many  people  are  there  in  the  congested 
sections  of  Chicago  to  cacti  acre  of  park 
space? 

What  is  the  average  population  of  the  entire 
city  to  each  acre  of  park  space? 

For  health  and  good  order  how  many  people 
should,  there  be  to  eaeli  acre  of  park 
space? 

What  three  great  elements  make  up  tin:  park 
plans  of  the  future  city  under  the  Flan 
of  Chicago?    State  in  order. 

Why  should,  first  attention  be  given  to  the 
plans  for  the  lake  front? 

Why  did  Chicago  years  ago  spend  $60,000,- 
000  digging  a  wide  drainage  canal,  emp- 
tying from  the  lake  into  tlic  Desplaines 
River? 

W]iat  is  being  dumped  into  the  lake  off  Chi- 
cago every  year? 

What  is  to  take  place  under  the  Flan  of 
Chicago  for  the  beautijication  of  the  lake 
front? 

What  is  to  be  creattd  in  this  manner? 

How  many  acres  of  land  can  be  created 
every  year  fi'om  ivaste  material  for  parks 
on  the  lake  front? 

How  much  waste  matter  did  tlie  City  Engi- 
neer of  Chicago  .say,  in  1911,  Cliicago  pro- 
duces annually? 

How  much  of  this  goes  into  tlie  lake? 

What  does  this  waste  material  include? 

How  many  cubic  yards  of  new  excavation 
ivill  the  Sanitary  District  make  in  tlie 
next  .several  years  on  its  main  canal? 

According  to  the  City  Engineer,  how  many 
cubic  yards  of  waste    trilt  raise  one  acre 


134 


WACKER'S  MANUAL   OF   THE   TLAN    OF   CHICAGO 


25. 
26. 


27. 
28. 


29. 
30. 


33. 

34. 


33. 
36. 


39. 
40. 
41. 
42. 
43. 

44. 

45. 

46. 
47. 

48. 


five  feet  above  the  surface  in  water  fifteen 
feet  deep? 

What  is  it  cvi(le)i'  that  the  city  furnishes? 

How  do  citij  officials,  Sanitary  District  en- 
gineers, manufacturers  and  l)uilding  con- 
tractors all  agree  they  will  save  money? 

How  is  the  total  waste  of  the  city  divided? 

What  is  the  numher  of  cubic  yards  of  cin- 
ders and-  ashes  produced  each  year  by  the 
city's  consumption  of  coal? 

How  is  this  moved? 

What  ivill  be  the  value  of  the  land  Chicago 
can  create  vpon  the  lal-e  front  in  five 
years ? 

What  do  expert  engineers  say  can  be  cre- 
ated from  the  city's  waste  within  thirty 
years? 

What  did  the  architects  take  into  account  in 
planning  the  lake  front  parks? 

How  did  they  answer  this  demand  in  the 
plans? 

Where  do  the  plans  provide  for  the  filling  in 
first  of  a  wide  strip  of  shore  land  facing 
the  open  lake? 

What  will  run  along  this  shore? 

What  will  be  built  beyond,  the  tvater  course 
to  protect  it  and  provide  safety  and  shel- 
ter forever  to  pleasure  craft? 

What  ivill  be  located  at  the  northern  termi- 
nus of  the  long  park  at  the  foot  of  Twelfth 
Street? 

What  is  to  be  located  on  the  main  shore  in 
the  mile  of  park  land  between  Twenty- 
second  and  Twelfth  Streets? 

What  ivHl  extend  northward  from  the  ath- 
letic field  on  the  main  shore? 

What  will  be  situated  at  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  the  main  harbor? 

Where  are  the  piers  to  be  built,  and  how  ivill 
they  be  reached? 

What  is  to  be  provided  off  Jackson  Park 
ivhcre  the  water  is  quite  shallow? 

How  is  the  lake  front  to  be  improved  in  the 
district  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  tiortii 
to  Chicago  Avenue? 

What  steamers  will  dock  at  the  wharves  in 
the  harbor  between  the  Chicago  River  and 
Chicago  Avenue? 

How  do  the  lake  front  plans  vary  in  detail 
from  the  south  shore  plans  to  the  north- 
ivard  of  Chicago  Avenue? 

How  will  the  people  benefit  from  the  parks 

along  the  lake  shore? 
What  does  the  second  element  in  park  de- 
velopment for  the  future  Chicago  aim  to 
create ? 
What  was  decided  in  the  plans  after  con- 


sidering the  shape  of  the  city,  location  of 
its  great  body  of  citizens,  direction  of 
future  growth  anel  all  other  conditions? 

49.  Where  are  the  three  large  new  parks  to  be 

located  and  how  connected? 

50.  Why  was  it  decided  to  give  the  ivest  side  the 

largest  single  park  in  Chicago  anel  make 
that  park  the  center  of  the  future  city's 
park  system? 

51.  Wheit    relation    docs    the    park    system    as 

planned  bear  to  the  rest  of  the  future  city? 

52.  Why  is  the  great  ivest  side  park  planned  to 

be  locateel  on  Congress  Street? 

53.  Describe  the  proposed  Congress  Street  Park. 

54.  Describe  the  south  side  park  as  proposed. 

55.  Describe  the  north  side  park  as  proposed. 

56.  What  have  the  architects  projected  to  con- 

nect the  three  parks? 

57.  Describe  the  curving  connecting  boulevard, 

beginning  tvith  the  great  south  side  park. 

58.  What  is  the  relation  of  Western  Avenue  to 

this  sweeping  bow-shaped  boulevard? 

59.  What  would  the  acquisition  of  these  three 

parks  and  the  how  boulevard  add  to  Chi- 
cago's park  area  and  where  would  it  place 
Chicago  in  relation  to  the  park  area  of 
other  cities? 

60.  What  have  modern  cities  learned  that  they 

must  do  to  provide  recreation  areas  for 
their  people? 

61.  What   docs    every   European    capital   have 

tcithin  easy  reach  of  its  people  but  out- 
side of  its  limits? 

62.  What  do  the  people  of  London,  Paris,  Berlin 

and  Vienna  elo  on  Sundays  i)i  Summer? 

63.  Where  is  Neiv  York  acquiring  outer  terri- 

tory for  park,  purposes? 

64.  Describe  the  territory  surrounding  Chicago 

procurable  for  forest  parks. 

65.  Describe  the  sort  of  spaces  that  should  he- 

acquired  for  forest  reserve  purposes. 

66.  What  has  provisional  search  resulted  in? 

67.  Describe  the  five  proposed  forest  reserves,  in 

their  order. 

68.  Wliat  has  modern  man  learned  of  city  life  in 

a  period  of  less  than  a  century? 

69.  How  is  city  life  different  from  country  life? 

70.  What  is  the  only  way  known  by   wliich   a 

city  may  lessen  these  ills  or  do  away  with 
them? 

71.  What  is  necessary  to  upbuild  Chicago  and 

enable  her  to  keep  her  place  in  commerce 
and  to  grow  in  power  in  the  modern 
stressful  warfare  of  trade? 

72.  State  the  only  way  for  Chicago  to  increase 

anel  maintain  the  vigor  of  her  people. 


CHEATING    A    CIVIC   CEN'I'KR 


l:!5 


CHAPTER  X\'I 


CREATIXG  A  CIVIC  CENTER 

In  becoiiiiiii;-  tlio  second  city  of  the  United 
States  in  population,  Chicago  has  not  until 
now  taken  any  account  of  unity,  or  of  cen- 
tralizing- its  governmental  activities.  First 
there  was  the  sottloniont  alioiit  Fort  Dear- 


cago.  Finally  Chicago  spread  out  until 
those  villages  were  swallowed  up  within 
the  city,  giving  up  their  little  local  gov- 
oriinients  and  hecoining  districts  of  Chi- 
cago itself. 

In  this  process  by  which  Chicago  ab- 
sorbed its  neighboring  towns  and  villages 
there  was  no  planning  for  the  creation  of  a 
coiitei-.    Tnsteail  of  creating  a  great  unified 


CHICAGO.      View,    looking   west,   of   the   proposed   civic  lenlcr.   plaz.T  mid   luiildlngs.  showing  it  as  the  center 
of  tlie  system  of  arteries  of  circulation  and  of  the  surrounding  country. 

[Copyrighted   by   the   Commercial   Club. J 


born,  then  the  extension  of  the  village  to 
cover  a  square  mile  or  so.  Wliile  this  was 
in  progress  at  the  heart  of  affairs  nearby 
farm  centers  grew  into  little  settlements. 
Township  governments  were  established, 
and  in  each  township  a  village  came  into 
being.  Chicago  grew  toward  these  villages 
ill  all  directions,  and  the  villages  extended 
their  streets  and  settlements  toward  Chi- 


cily.  thorerore,  we  built  up  one  liy  grouping 
together  numerous  adjoining  towns.  By 
good  fortune,  these  towns  and  villages  were 
so  laid  out  that  for  the  most  part  their 
streets  blended  well  with  the  street  sys- 
tem of  Chicago,  and  so  we  do  not  notice, 
in  going  about  the  city,  that  Chicago  is 
really  the  result  of  patching  several  towns 
together. 


KiG 


WACKER'S   MANUAL    OF   THE    PLAN    OK    CHICAGO 


Chicago  has  now  readied  a  developnioiit 
that  assures  an  ahnost  limitless  future  in 
population  and  business.  The  time  has 
come  then,  to  create  in  Chicago  a  civic  cen- 
ter. Wo  ought  to  bring-  together  in  one 
place  the  agencies  Ijy  which  the  city  is  gov- 
erned, and  to  express  there  the  pride  and 
spirit  of  the  people  of  the  city  by  the  erec- 
tion of  imposing  buildings.  In  this  work 
we  sliould  sjiare  no  expense  of  labor  or 
money,  for  in  it  we  will  be  constructing  for 
the  view  of  the  whole  world  great  moim- 
ments  to  ourselves  and  to  our  city.  In  it 
we  will  be  providing  for  eternal  fame  for 
our  city,  such  as  Rome  enjoys  today  bo- 
cause  of  the  majesty  of  her  Forum  and 
Athens  because  of  tlie  beautj-  of  the  Acrop- 
olis. 

The  creation  of  this  center,  giving  life  to 
the  spirit  of  unity  in  the  city,  is  one  of  the 
great  ends  to  be  attained  through  the  Plan 
of  Cliicago.  The  architects,  in  drawing 
their  plans  for  the  parks,  for  the  hai'bors, 
for  even  the  most  remote  street  yet  to  be 
developed  within  the  limits  of  the  future 
city,  bore  always  in  their  minds  the  ideal 
of  uniting  all  elements  of  the  city,  and  giv- 
ing this  ideal  form  and  substance  through 
the  civic  center. 

Cities,  in  their  growth,  follow  always  the 
line  of  least  resistance.  The  center  of  a 
city  moves  always  in  the  direction  toward 
which  trade  and  commerce  flow  easiest. 
Thus  it  has  been  with  Chicago.  The  tirst 
settlement  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
Trade  in  the  early  days  followed  that  wa- 
ter course  inland.  The  chief  settlements 
were  to  the  southwestward,  dotting  the 
course  of  the  Illinois  river  and  running 
into  the  valley  of  the  Mississipi)i.  Tliis 
turned  the  current  of  commerce  to  the 
southwest,  and  as  the  city's  trade  has 
grown  in  that  direction  the  flow  of  indus- 
try and  population  has  followed.    The  cen- 


ter of  poinilation  of  the  city,  wliich  was 
within  the  Fort  Dearborn  stockade  in 
the  beginning,  has  now  moved  south- 
westward  to  a  iroint  near  the  intersection 
of  South  Ilalsted  and  West  Twelfth 
streets. 

In  selecting  a  place  for  the  building  of 
the  civic  center  of  the  Chicago  of  the  fu- 
ture, the  architects  were  forced  to  give 
great  weight  to  this  constant  southwest- 
ward  tendency  of  the  cit}'.  Considering, 
however,  that  in  late  years  this  movement 
of  the  center  has  not  been  so  rapid,  and 
considering,  too,  that  the  business  center 
of  Chicago  is  fairly  well  established  for  all 
time,  it  was  decided  that  the  best  site  to 
select  for  the  civic  center  was  at  Soutli 
Halsted  and  West  Congress  streets,  and  i( 
is  there,  when  the  Plan  of  Chicago  has  been 
carried  out  in  detail,  that  the  city  will  have 
its  seat  of  government. 

In  planning  for  the  future  of  the  city 
much  consideration  was  given  to  Congress 
street.  Firstly,  it  coincides  substantially 
with  the  center  of  the  business  district  as 
it  will  be  when  the  present  loop  district  is 
extended  to  Twelfth  street.  It  is  also 
about  equally  distant  from  Twenty-second 
street  and  Chicago  avenue,  which  are  to 
be  highly  developed  under  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago. It  is  a  disconnected  street  now,  and 
so  could  be  completed  at  comparatively 
small  cost,  and  as  the  buildings  upon  it 
within  the  district  where  widening  is  ]iro- 
posed  are  not  as  expensive  as  those  in 
other  streets  another  economy  in  the  work 
would  result.  Its  opening  would  create,  in 
combination  with  Harrison  and  Van  Buren 
streets,  a  trijtle  set  of  traffic  ways  at  the 
center. 

It  has  been  seen  how,  under  the  Plan  of 
Chicago,  a  large  number  of  the  new  di- 
agonal streets  planned  will  center  at  the 
crossing  of  South  Ilalsted  and  Congress 


CREATING   A   CIVIC   CENTER 


i:!7 


streets.  The  aim  of  this  arran.nenioiit  is 
two-fold :  to  pro\ide  on  the  one  hand  direct 
ways  of  reaching  the  city's  fntnre  center, 
and  on  the  other  hand  to  open  to  tlie  daily 
view  of  a  million  or 


more  people 


and 


liilllll 

lEannii 

iSllllllillHIlP^ 

iiik!miiii!  >!;iiiiiai 


give  architectural 
prominence  to  the 
magnificent  city 
buildings  planned  to 
be  grouped  together 
at  the  civic  center. 
The  buildings  to 
be  placed  in  the  civic 
center  naturally  fall 
into  three  divisions, 
those  for  the  City  of 
Chicago  holding  the 
principal  place,  ac- 
comi)anied  by  the 
buildings  of  Cook 
County  and  the  Fed- 
eral Government.  A 
wide  square  or  tri- 
a  n  g  1  e,  including 
from  ten  to  twenty 
acres,  perhaps,  can 
be  swept  of  build- 
ings now  existing  at 
the  Congress  street 
crossing  of  Halsted 
street.  There,  at  the 
end  of  all  the  con- 
verging streets,  can 
be  built  the  City 
Hall.  In  this  struc- 
ture the  aim  will  be, 
if  the  idea  of  the 
Plan  of  Chicago 
dominates  the  ar- 
rangement, not  only  to  produce  a  building 
so  stately  and  magnificent  as  to  indelibly 
impress  Chicago's  greatness  upon  the  mind 
of  every  beholder,  but   also  to  have  W   n 


lllfllllllllll 

ini^^HPiSiBBSSBI 


fSi    '^^ 


SSS>  A 


aiSBiBGinnii 

SIS  !9  as  II II II  III 
aaililiiiiUllllill 


CHICAGO.  The  business  center  of  tlie  city  -within 
tlie  first  circuit  boulevard,  siiowing  tlie  proposed  ^rantl 
east-and-west  axis  and  its  relation  to  Grant  Park  and 
tlie  yacht  harbor;  the  railway  terminals  schemes  on  the 
soutli  and  west  sides,  and  the  Civic  Center. 

[Copyrishlcd  by  the   Commercial  Club.] 


building  so  high  and  wide  as  to  stand  far 
out  above  every  other  structure,  thus  mark- 
ing it  as  the  center  of  the  city  from  afai-. 
Artists,  inspired  by  the  work  of  the  ar- 
chitects in  the  crea- 
tion of  the  Plan  of 
Chicago,  have  vied 
with  each  other  in 
attempts  to  visual- 
ize for  us  todaj'  the 
triumphs  of  the  peo- 
]>le  of  tomorrow  in 
the  planning  and 
construction  of  these 
vast  civic  temples. 
Their  suggestions 
are  that  the  City 
Hall,  rising  from  the 
l)lain  upon  which 
Chicago  rests, should 
be  surmounted  by  a 
great  dome  compar- 
able to  that  of  St. 
Peter's  cathedral  at 
Rome. 

U]wn  either  side 
of  the  towering 
dome  of  the  City 
Hall,  and  making  up 
their  parts  of  the 
whole  composition, 
will  be  the  main 
County  Building  and 
main  Federal  Build- 
ing. There  will  be 
grouped  with  them, 
after  a  manner  to 
give  the  finest  archi- 
tectural effects,  va- 
rious minor  build- 
ings devoted  to  the  purposes  of  the  respec- 
tive governments.  Thus  there  will  be  struc- 
tures for  the  courts,  whose  character  and 
im]iortnnco  in  our  government  seem  to  call 


138 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE   PLAN  OF  CHICAGO 


for  separate  and  dist  inct  housing  provision. 
By  decision  and  action  now,  this  plan  for  a 
civic  center  conld  be  put  under  way  at  once, 
as  the  government  is  seeking  a  site  for  a 
postoffice  on  the  West  Side,  giving  us  the 
opportunity  of  starting  construction  of  the 
civic  group  with  a  building  of  importance. 
Experience  has  shown  us  in  Chicago 
that  there  is  no  danger  of  our  undertak- 
ing too  large  or  extensive  plans  for  public 
buildings.  No  sooner  do  we  get  a  public 
structure  completed,  in  fact,  than  the 
growth  of  the  public  business  fills  it  to 


building,  it  is  already  filled  to  its  limit 
with  the  workers  in  the  public  service. 
Imiiortant  as  is  the  civic  center  consid- 
ered as  of  itself,  when  taken  in  connection 
with  the  whole  Plan  of  Chicago,  it  may  be 
likened  to  the  keystone  of  an  arch.  With 
Halsted  street  widened  and  developed,  and 
with  sweeping  improvements  made  in 
Michigan  avenue  and  in  Ashland  avenue, 
tl'.ere  will  come  betterments  in  the  great 
thoroughfares  of  Chicago  avenue  and  of 
Twelfth  street  to  give  form  to  the  business 
center.    To  open  Congress  street  to  a  great 


:;]:::>i*^ji(u!iif.ijSr 


'W^- 


tit' 


-^'~^^^--V»^^'>j9J,-^.~Xt 


CHICAGO.     The    proposed    civic    center    square,    showing    the   group    of    surrounding    buildings    crowned    by    the 
central    dome.      [Copyrighted    by    tlie    Commercial    Ciub.] 


overflowing.  It  has  been  so  throughout 
the  history  of  the  city.  We  have  been 
forced  to  renew  our  public  buildings,  doub- 
ling them  in  size  and  capacity,  every 
twenty  years  or  so.  Our  Federal  Building 
was  outgrown  by  Chicago  while  it  was  in 
the  process  of  construction.  Our  County 
Building,  finished  only  a  short  time  ago, 
and  which  the  architects  believed  would 
serve  the  county  needs  for  many  years,  is 
already  proving  too  small.  It  is  the  same 
way  with  the  new  City  Hall.  Built  with 
nearly  three  times  the  capacity'  of  the  old 


width  throughout  the  city,  and  indefinitely 
into  the  country,  will  bring  the  civic  center 
and  its  great  buildings  into  high  relief. 
Nowhere  else  in  America  is  a  city  offered 
such  possibilities,  combined  with  such  ease 
of  attainment.  Simply  by  the  intelligent 
handling  of  the  changes  necessary  from 
year  to  year,  we  can,  by  adopting  the  Plan 
of  Chicago,  make  ours  a  city  both  unified 
and  beautiful. 

1.  As  flic  second  city  of  the  United  States, 
what  is  it  of  which  Chicago  has  not  taken 
any  account? 


CREATING  A  CIVIC   CENTER 


i:!!t 


3.  How   (lid    Chicago    become    a   collection    of 
towns  and  rillayts.' 

3.  What  was  neglected  in  this  process  by  tvhich 

Chicago  absorbed  its  neighboring  towns 
and  villages' 

4.  Instead  of  creating  a  great  unified  city,  what 

did  we  elof 

.').  What  point  has  Chicago   now  r<ach<d  and 
what  docs  it  mean? 

6.  What  ought  we  to  bring  together  and  wliaf 

sliould  wc  express  tliercf 

7.  How  icill  the  creation  of  a  civic  center  in 

Chicago  provide  eternal  fame  for  our 
city? 

8.  ,What  is  it  that  is  one  of  the  great  ends  to 

be  attained  through  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

9.  What  did  the  architects  always  bear  in  mind 

in  drawing  the  plans  for  the  parks,  the 
harbors  and  even  the  most  remote  street 
yet  to  be  developed? 

10.  What  do  cities  follow  in  their  growth? 

11.  In  what  direction  and  to  what  point  has  the 

center  of  population  in  Chicago  gradually 
moved? 


12.  To  what  were  the  architects  forced  to  give 
great  weight  in  selecting  a  place  for  the 
civic  center? 

/.')'.  Why  ivas  it  decided  that  South  Ilalstrd  and 
West  Congress  streets  providid  the  best 
site  for  the  civic  center? 

11.  In  planning  for  the  future  of  the  city  why 
was  much  consideration  given  to  Congress 
Street? 

15.  WJiat  is  tile  aim  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  -in 

centering  a  large  number  of  new  diag- 
onal streets  at  the  civic  center? 

16.  Into  what  three  divisions  do  the  buildings  to 

be   placed  in   the   civic  center   naturally 
fall? 

17.  What  has  experience  shown  us  in  Chicago? 

18.  What  happens  in  Chicago  as  soon  as  we  get 

a  public  structure  completed? 

19.  What  have  we  been  forced  to  renew  every 

tiventy  years  or  so? 

20.  What  three  buildings  were  outgrown  by  Chi- 

cago while  in  the  process  of  construction? 

21.  Why    is    Chicago   offered   possibilities   com- 

bined with  ease  of  attainment  above  any 
other  city  in  America? 


14(1 


W ACKER'S  MANUAL   OF  THE   PLAN   OF   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER  XVII 


FINAL  RESULT  OF  THE 
PLAN 

There  liave  been  presented  in  the  previ- 
ous chapters  only  some  of  the  larger  and 
more  important  facts  bearing  upon  the 
Pkm  of  Chicago.  No  idea  can  be  given 
in  this  volume  of  the  immense  amount  of 
study  and  la])or  in\'olved  in  producing  the 
l)lan,  and  of  the  infinite  pains  and  pa- 
tience required  to  work  out  all  the  details 
and  fit  them  together  perfectly.  No  idea, 
either,  can  be  given  in  a  sketch  of  the  plan 
so  brief  as  this  one  of  the  amounts  of 
money  and  the  many  days  and  hours  of 
time  devoted  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago  by 
the  city's  men  of  great  wealth  who  are 
proud  of  Chicago  and  anxious  to  see  their 
home  city  grow  in  power,  importance  and 
good  order. 

We  have  seen,  though,  that  in  the  earn- 
est desire  to  make  the  future  Chicago  the 
ideal  great  city  of  the  world,  some  of  the 
most  far-sighted  and  able  citizens  of  our 
city  have  labored  together  for  a  long 
time,  and  as  a  result  of  their  labor  we 
have  been  given  the  Plan  of  Chicago.  The 
men  interested  in  the  prodi;ction  of  this 
plan  do  not  say  it  is  perfect  in  every  de- 
tail. They  believe,  however,  it  is  as  near 
to  perfection  as  architectural  skill  makes 
possible,  considering  the  physical  condi- 
tions within  the  city.  They  are  giving  us 
this  design  for  a  future  city  in  confident 
belief  that  it  points  the  way  for  us  to  very 
greatly  improve  our  magnificent  Chicago. 
T\lien  it  is  worked  out  in  any  of  its  details, 
they  say,  we  will  have  a  better  and  more 
convenient  city,  and  when  it  is  completed 
in  all  its  details  Chicago  will  stand  alone 


among  all  tlie  world's  great  cities  in  pub- 
lic health,  good  order,  attractiveness  and 
civic  economy. 

The  men  who  have  produced  and  given 
to  us  the  Plan  of  Chicago  have  not  done 
their  work  blindly.  They  realized,  when 
they  undertook  their  task,  that  Chicago  is 
a  city  of  great  accomplishments.  They 
knew  that  the  plan,  when  completed,  was 
to  be  given  into  the  care  of  a  people  who 
never  have  failed  or  faltered  in  their  de- 
votion to  their  city.  They  knew  that  no 
task,  however  great,  has  ever  proven  too 
great  a  task  for  the  people  of  Chicago  to 
undertake,  and  that  when  Chicago's  men 
and  women  start  out  to  do  anything  noth- 
ing can  serve  to  keep  them  from  success. 

It  is  realized,  in  giving  the  people  of 
Chicago  this  plan  for  a  complete,  beautiful 
and  unified  city,  that  they  are  being  asked 
to  carry  out  a  great  work,  and  one  which 
will  occupy  them  for  many  years.  It  is 
a  work,  too,  which  seems  to  involve  large 
expenditures  of  money.  This  is  only  a 
seeming  condition,  for  in  fact  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  can  be  carried  out  in  its  entirety 
without  seriously  increasing  the  present 
tax  burdens.  The  very  growth  of  the  city, 
which  is  creating  wealth  greater  than  the 
richest  mines  can  produce,  gives  a  basis 
for  bond  issues  far  in  excess  of  the  utmost 
cost  of  carrying  out  the  plan.  The  in- 
crease in  the  value  of  real  estate  in  the  city 
in  the  last  ten  years  is  greater  than  the 
entire  cost  of  executing  the  plan,  and  be- 
sides that,  the  changes  brought  about  by 
the  various  steps  in  the  plan  will  stim- 
ulate the  increase  in  the  city's  wealth. 

It  is  probable  that  in  carrying  out  the 
plan  some  changes  will  have  to  be  made 
in  our  laws.  It  is  clear  that  we  can  have 
these  changes  whenever  the  people  desire 
them.  One  of  these  changes  that  might 
be  desirable  is  to  have  a  law  passed  by 


FINAL   RESULT    OF   THE    FLAN 


141 


wliioh  tlie  city  could  take  over  from  the 
owners  all  the  ])roperty  along  a  street, 
widen  the  street  as  nnicli  as  necessary,  and 
then  resell  tlie  remaining  property. 
Wherever  streets  have  heen  widened  in 
Chicago  it  lias  been  found  that  land  values 
upon  them  Jiave  increased  immediately  in 
sums  large  enough  to  more  than  repay  tlie 
cost  of  widening.  If  the  city  had  been  tlie 
owner  and  could  have  secured  the  profits 
resulting  from  the  increase  the  widening 
would  not  only  have  cost  nothing,  but 
would  have  been  a  source  of  profit.  Under 
the  law  as  it  is  today  the  city  can  take  over 
for  purposes  of  improvement  only  such 
property  as  is  actually  needed  for  the  im- 
provement. Usually  such  property  is  se- 
■cured  only  at  high  cost. 

All  of  the  difSculties  in  the  way  of  car- 
rying out  the  Plan  of  Chicago  have  been 
weighed  carefully,  and  none  of  them  are 
of  sufficient  consequence,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  ablest  men  who  have  studied  them,  to 
deter  or  delay  us.  To  realize  the  plan  then, 
hecomes  a  question  of  public  desire,  and 
whether  the  people  of  Chicago  will  deter- 
mine to  give  the  world  an  examjile  of  mag- 
uificent  public  spirit  and  public  work  luay 
he  well  judged  from  the  past. 

Chicago  was  little  more  than  a  village 
-when  the  first  tremendous  task  to  try  the 
spirit  and  character  of  her  citizenship  was 
brought  forward.  It  was  over  sixty  years 
ago  that  it  became  apparent  that  in  order 
to  secure  proper  drainage,  and  so  protect 
the  health  of  the  city,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  raise  the  level  of  all  the  streets 
within  what  we  know  as  the  old  city,  from 
the  main  river  to  Twelfth  street,  and  also 
for  a  distance  along  the  "West  and  North 
Sides.  To  do  the  work  was  a  tremendous 
task.  There  was  little  machinery  for  such 
labor  in  the  city,  and  none  at  all  such  as  is 
used  today  in  engineering  work.    Yet,  the 


]ieople  went  to  work  witii  a  will  to  raise 
llie  streets  and  most  of  the  buildings 
witliin  the  city.  Everj'body  in  the  city 
worked,  inchiding  the  boys  and  girls,  and 
soon  the  task  the  city  had  set  itself  to 
accomplish  was  comjileted.  That  work,  in 
its  ])eriod,  was  a  nmch  more  serious  un- 
dertaking for  the  few  thousand  ])eople  who 
did  it  than  the  rearrangement  of  streets 
according  to  the  Plan  of  Chicago  will  l)e 
to  a  city  of  millions  of  people  with  mod- 
ern machinery  at  their  command. 

Some  fifty  years  ago,  as  has  been  re- 
lated, when  the  idea  of  creating  wide  met- 
ropolitan park  areas  was  new,  Chicago  un- 
dertook to  acquire  and  improve  a  chain  of 
]iarks  and  public  grounds  surrounding  the 
city  on  three  sides.  A  plan  was  adopted 
in  which  all  classes  of  people  had  an  in- 
terest, and  in  which  the  city  looked  to 
everybody  to  do  his  share  to  advance  tlie 
work.  We  all  know  how  well  this  plan, 
undertaken  by  only  a  fraction  of  the  num- 
ber of  people  now  living  in  Chicago,  be- 
came a  reality.  Parks  were  created  which 
have  served  the  city  well  and  sufficiently 
until  recent  years,  and  it  never  was  a  bur- 
den upon  the  people  to  pay  for  them. 

Next,  between  1880  and  1890,  came  the 
problem  of  Chicago's  water  supply  and  of 
disposal  of  the  city's  sewage.  The  people 
again  rallied  together.  ConceiA^ing  the 
idea  of  digging  a  drainage  canal,  they  en- 
ergetically set  about  that  tremendous 
duty.  They  worked  for  years  and  spent 
$60^000,000 "before  they  comiileted  the  un- 
liaralleled  civic  feat  which  gives  us  of  to- 
day the  splendid  benefits  of  the  sanitary 
waterway. 

The  joy  of  Chicago's  people  in  doing 
vast  public  works  was  not  abated  in  the 
drainage  canal  construction.  Before  that 
big  work  was  com]ileted,  in  fact,  the  peo)>le 
entered    upon    another    enterprise    which 


142 


WACKER'S   MANUAL   OF   THE    PLAN    OF    CHICAGO 


gave  their  city  worldwide  fame, — tlie 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  out  of 
which  came  the  idea  of  tlie  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago. Joining  hands  through  a  committee 
of  citizens,  the  people  of  Chicago,  in  a 
short  time,  raised  $20,000,000  to  spend  in 
buildings  and  grounds  for  a  World's  Fair 
in  celebration  of  the  400th  anniversary  of 
America's  discovery  by  Columbus.  The 
raising  of  that  sum  of  monej'  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  public  entertainment  was  a 
thrilling  civic  feat.  Nothing  like  it  had 
ever  before  even  been  gi^-en  thought  as 
possible  in  any  city. 

These  four  tasks  are  the  principal  ones 
ui^on  which  Chicago's  fame  as  a  city  of 
great  public  spirit  and  loyaltj'  of  citizen- 
ship has  been  founded.  Thus,  throughout 
the  entire  history  of  the  city,  has  been 
proven  the  readiness  of  the  people  of  Chi- 
cago to  take  up  large  plans  for  public  im- 
provements. Thus  has  been  proven  the 
faith  of  all  the  people  of  Chicago  in  their 
city's  future  and  power.  Truly  Chicago's 
history  is  such  as  to  demonstrate  that  its 
people  will  not  let  slip  such  an  opportu- 
nity to  achieve  such  necessary  improve- 
ments and  greatness  for  their  city  as  lies 
within  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

There  is  still  a  stronger  reason  than 
comes  to  us  from  our  history  to  believe 
the  Plan  of  Chicago  will  be  the  next  public 
enterprise  upon  which  the  citizens  will  em- 
bark. That  reason  is  the  growing  love  of 
good  order,  due  to  the  advance  in  educa- 
tion. We  all  know  that  we  would  not  tol- 
erate today  in  our  cities  such  conditions 
as  we  are  told  were  usual  in  the  days  of 
our  fathers.  We  may  well  believe,  then, 
that  the  people  of  the  future  will  not  tol- 
erate such  conditions  as  surround  us  to- 
day. 

We  are  learning  new  lessons  in  muni- 
cipal economy,  in  hygiene,  and  in  city  gov- 


ernment. We  are  learning  that  time,  la- 
bor and  health  saving  means  and  methods 
are  valuable  to  a  city.  We  are  learning 
that  attractive  surroimdings  encourage 
good  morals.  We  are  learning  more  and 
more  every  day  the  things  that  are  nec- 
essary to  promote  good  conditions  within 
a  city.  We  are  every  day  making  greater 
and  greater  demands  iipon  the  city,  and  we 
realize  that  our  responsibilities  and  duties 
as  citizens  grow  greater  and  greater  every 
day. 

In  crystallizing  in  our  minds  the  various 
aims  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  to  decide  for 
cnirselves,  perhaps,  what  feature  is  the 
most  necessary  to  begin  upon  at  once,  we 
naturally  conclude  there  are  four  main  el- 
ements in  the  plan.    These  are : 

1.  The  systematic  arrangement  of  the 
streets  and  avenues  within  the  city  in  or- 
der to  save  time  and  effort  in  the  move- 
ment of  people  and  merchandise  between 
the  various  parts  of  the  city.  This  in- 
cludes the  cutting  of  new  streets  where 
necessary  in  and  through  the  congested 
parts  of  the  city.  It  includes  the  widening 
of  many  streets  to  care  for  increased  traf- 
fic, to  add  to  the  city's  attractiveness  and 
to  conserve  our  greatest  asset, — the  health 
of  the  people. 

2.  The  centralization  and  improvement 
of  our  railway  terminals,  the  perfection  of 
harbors,  and  the  creation  of  a  proper  sys- 
tem of  freight  transportation.  This  in- 
cludes the  ranging  of  passenger  terminals 
along  Twelfth  street  on  the  South  Side, 
and  along  Canal  street  on  the  West  Side. 
It  includes  also  the  building  of  a  general 
dock  system  near  the  mouth  of  Chicago 
river,  and  a  coal  and  grain  dock  system 
on  the  lake  at  South  Chicago,  with  a  ware- 
housing and  freight  center  for  all  through 
merchandise  at  a  point  southwest  of  Chi- 
cago, the  whole  connected  l>y  belt  railways. 


FINAL  RESULT  OF  THE   PLAN 


143 


3.  The  acquirement  and  development  of 
an  extended  ]»ark  system  to  supply  the 
needs  of  the  city  for  all  time  to  come.  This 
includes  the  building  of  islands  along  the 
lake  front,  pioviding  an  enclosed  lagoon 
skirting  the  entire  city  shore;  the  secur- 
ing of  a  park  a  mile  or  more  square  upon 
each  of  the  three  sides  of  the  city,  and 
their  connection  by  a  majestic  bow-shaped 
boulevard;  and  the  purchase  of  extensive 
■woodlands  lying  in  a  broad  belt  in  the 
suburban  territory',  to  be  held  forever  as 
places  for  picnics  and  recreation  of  city 
dwellers. 

4.  The  development  of  a  center  of  civic 
administration  so  located  as  to  give  co- 
herence and  unity  to  the  citj'.  This  in- 
cludes the  securing  of  a  large  area  at  West 
Congress  and  South  Halsted  streets,  at  the 
conA'ergence  of  numerous  new  diagonal 
streets,  the  holding  of  this  tract  near  the 
city's  geographical  center  for  gradual  im- 
provement by  erecting  stately  buildings 
for  governmental  purposes,  and  the  erec- 
tion of  a  great  domed  City  Hall  as  the  cen- 
tral building  of  this  feature  of  the  plan. 

In  reporting  the  street  plan  tlie  archi- 
tects of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  admitted  that 
it  involves  a  very  considerable  amount  of 
money.  It  was  added  in  their  report  that 
it  will  be  found  in  Chicago,  as  in  other 
cities,  that  the  opening  of  new  thorough- 
fares, although  meaning  a  large  expense  to 
initiate  the  work,  creates  a  large  increase 
in  values.  This  is  due  to  increase  in  con- 
venience and  the  creation  of  large  num- 
bers of  new  and  very  valuable  building 
sites  adjoining  the  new  streets.  The  cost 
will  amount  to  many  millions  of  dollars, 
but  the  result  will  be  continuous  pros- 
perity for  all  dwellers  in  Chicago  and  the 
saving  of  millions  of  dollars  in  time  and 
effort  to  the  citizens. 

The  suggestions  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago 


in  regard  to  the  railroads  and  tiie  har- 
bors are  many  and  serious.  The  aim  is  to 
l»roduce  i-esults  beneficial  to  all  interests, 
— the  manufacturers  and  shippers  who 
])atronize  the  railroads  by  improving  serv- 
ice, the  railroads  themselves  by  making 
their  service  to  the  public  more  effective 
anil  therefore  more  largely  patronized. 
Over  all  considerations,  however,  is  that 
of  economy  in  the  handling  of  freight  at 
Chicago  as  a  shi]iping  center.  The  meth- 
ods of  the  plan  will  give  to  the  manufac- 
turers and  shippers  all  the  advantages 
which  naturally  should  be  theirs,  and  so 
mean  constant  operation  of  factories  and 
employment  of  the  peojde.  The  commei'- 
cial  prosperit)'  of  the  community  is  rep- 
resented by  the  cost  per  ton  of  handling 
freight  into  and  out  of  the  Chicago  terri- 
tory. General  changes  in  railroad  condi- 
tions take  years  to  accomplish,  but  the 
public  will  not  be  compelled  to  pay  for  the 
changes  suggested  in  the  plan.  They  will 
be  railroad  enterprises,  undertaken  by  the 
railroads  and  carried  out  by  the  railroads. 

As  to  the  park  plans,  it  is  imperative 
that  extensive  additions  be  made  to  our 
jnililic  recreation  grounds.  The  location 
and  arrangement  of  the  parks  and  park- 
ways of  Chicago  today  are  entirely  inade- 
quate to  the  future  of  the  city.  Fifty  years 
ago,  before  the  population  of  the  city  was 
large  and  denselj'  crowded  together,  peo- 
]ile  could  live  in  comfort  and  good  order 
without  public  parks,  because  of  the  ex- 
istence of  large  open  spaces.  We  of  today 
can  not  do  without  parks.  They  are  a  vi- 
tal necessity  to  the  city.  We  regard  the 
promotion  of  robust  health  of  body  and 
mind  as  necessary  to  good  citizenship, 
which  is,  after  all,  the  prime  object  of  good 
city  planning. 

The  lake  front  improvement  from  Wil- 
mette  to  the  Indiana  line  is  an  economic 


144 


W ACKER'S   MANFAL    OF   THE   PLAN    OP   CHICAGO 


necessity.  We  liave  noted  before  the  enor- 
mous amount  of  waste  material  seeking 
dumping  ground  on  tlie  lake  shore  because 
it  is  the  cheapest  place  to  deposit  it.  En- 
gineers say  this  material  is  sufficient  to  fill 
in  one  hundred  acres  of  land  per  year,  rais- 
ing it  five  feet  above  the  surface  of  water 
fifteen  feet  deep.  The  park  authorities, 
then,  would  have  onlj^  to  furnish  break- 
waters and  finish  off  the  ground.  The  dirt  to 
be  removed  in  the  construction  of  subways 
in  the  city,  when  that  work  is  undertaken, 
will  go  far  to  help  redeem  the  lake  front. 
The  creation  there  of  an  extremely  beau- 
tiful and  useful  public  recreation  ground 
will  involve  very  little  public  expense. 

The  extensive  woodlands  proposed  as 
forests  for  the  people,  make  an  additional 
park  feature  not  usually  designed  for  cit- 
ies in  America,  but  almost  invariably  used 
in  Europe.  The  cost  of  these  wooded  sites 
Avill  be  considerable,  and  it  must  be  borne 
l»y  tlie  public,  but  the  people  will  gain  from 
the  sixty  thousand  acres  of  forests,  in 
health  and  recreation,  much  more  interest 
than  money  invested  in  any  other  security 
so  safe  as  that  land  could  earn  them. 
These  outer  parks  can  be  acquired  and  im- 
proved within  ten  years,  and  if  the  cost 
is  distributed  over  that  period  it  will  not 
prove  burdensome.  The  health  and  joy 
of  living  of  all  the  people  will  be  increased, 
and  incidentally  the  value  of  all  real  estate 
within  and  around  the  city  will  be  in- 
creased. 

The  interurban  highway  system  to  link 
the  outer  parks  together  can  be  realized 
very  cheaply.  Ninety-five  per  cent  of  the 
roads  exist  now.  The  remaining  five  per 
cent  can  be  acquired  at  small  cost,  which 
will  be  widely  distributed  through  many 
townshi]is,  and  will  serve  to  connect  and 
complete  the  system.  The  cost  of  macad- 
amizing tlie  roadways  and  tree  planting 


to  provide  shade  for  travelers  upon  tbem 
will  be  onl}^  incidental. 

To  acquire  the  land  for  the  parks  nec- 
essary for  the  West  and  South  Sides  is 
a  matter  of  comparatively  small  expense 
now.  There  are  no  very  costly  or  impor- 
tant buildings  standing  upon  the  site  pro- 
posed for  the  West  Side  park.  The  land 
selected  for  the  South  Side  park  is  almost 
entirely  vacant,  stretching  for  hundreds  of 
acres  as  level  farms  and  truck  gardens. 
The  North  Side  tract  would  prove  the 
most  costly  of  all  the  three  if  taken  today. 
Since  the  plan  was  drawn  much  of  the  ter- 
ritory proposed  for  the  park  in  question 
has  been  cut  up  into  lots,  and  numerous 
sul)stantial  buildings  have  been  erected. 
The  cost,  however,  would  not  be  prohiln- 
tive,  even  if  the  park  work  there  is  to  be 
delayed  for  ten  or  twenty  years. 

The  land  necessary  for  the  civic  center 
should  be  secured  as  soon  as  sentiment  for 
its  establishment  can  be  created.  Values 
at  that  point  are  reasonable,  but  are  sure 
to  advance.  If  the  city  were  to  take  the 
land  today  it  could  be  cleared  of  buildings 
and  treated  as  park  space  for  a  time,  and 
the  various  buildings  in  the  plan  could  he 
erected  as  they  are  found  necessary,  all 
being  piit  up  in  accordance  with  a  plan 
adopted  at  the  start.  To  adopt  such  a 
sclieme  of  purchase  would  save  a  very 
large  sum  in  the  i^urchase  of  public  build- 
ing sites  in  future,  and  also  give  stability 
to  real  estate  values  in  the  vicinity.  It 
would  be  an  excellent  thing  for  the  City 
to  establish  the  civic  center  on  the  West 
Side,  as  it  would  give  that  side  of  the  city 
the  impetus  toward  higher  standards  in 
construction  of  which  it  is  so  much  in  need. 
The  cost  of  the  civic  center  should  be  paid 
by  the  whole  community. 

Sunnning    up    the    subject    of    cost    of 
adopting  the   Plan   of   Chicago,  it  seems 


FINAL   RESULT   OF   THE    FLAN 


U.-) 


proliable  that  tlic  iilans  t'or  oulci-  liii;ii\vays 
and  of  all  the  lake  i'l-oiit  iinpi-ovemonts  will 
come  about  naturally  and  with  very  little 
expense  to  the  city.  The  railways  will  ])ay 
most  of  the  expense  of  their  changes  and 
betterments,  which  leaves  all  the  cost  of 
the  civic  center,  of  the  parks  and  park- 
ways, aiul  of  the  street  development  for 
the  general  ])ublic  to  pay.  The  connnunity 
has  ami^le  financial  ability  to  do  this. 
Paris  had  not  much  more  than  a  million 
and  a  half  of  i>eople,  and  not  nearly  so 
good  commercial  prospects  as  Chicago  has, 
when  her  people  adopted  a  street  improve- 
ment plan  involving  over  $260,000,000  and 
carried  it  to  completion  in  thirty-tive  years. 
The  success  of  the  undertaking  has  justi- 
fied the  expense.  People  from  all  over  the 
world  visit  Paris  by  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands every  year.  No  matter  where  they 
make  their  money,  they  go  there  to  spend 
it,  and  every  worlanan  and  proprietor  in 
Paris  benefits  from  this  expenditure  of 
millions  of  dollars  drawn  from  all  quar- 
ters of  the  world. 

Conditions  in  Chicago  are  such  as  to  re- 
pel outsiders,  not  to  attract  throngs  of 
visitors.  With  the  Plan  of  Chicago  re- 
alized, and  our  city  made  attractive,  health- 
ful, open  to  the  light,  a  ]ilace  of  beautiful 
street  views,  Chicago  will  become  a  mag- 
net, drawing  to  us  those  who  wish  to  en- 
joy life.  It  will  produce  for  us  conditions 
in  which  business  enterprises  can  be  car- 
ried on  with  the  utmost  economy  and  with 
the  certainty  of  success,  while  we  and  our 
children  can  live  broader,  safer,  saner  and 
happier  lives,  growing  stronger  each  year 
and  generation  in  love  and  loyalty  to  the 
great  Chicago  of  our  birth  or  adoption. 

There  is  another  and  deeper  motive  in 
planning  for  the  future  greatness  of  the 
city  than  its  splendid  material  upbuilding. 
This  is  of  significance  only  as  it  expresses 


the  actual  social,  intcllecfua!  ami  niorai 
uiibnilding  of  the  people,  and  so  far  as,  in 
1uvn,  it  opens  the  way  for  further  develop- 
nienl  of  this  higher  type.  City  building 
means  man  building.  Who  is  there  among 
us  who  is  not  lifted  above  sordid  industrial 
existence  into  the  realm  of  the  beautiful 
and  ennobling  things  in  life  by  attrac- 
tive surroundings?  I'eaulifid  parks,  fine 
monuments,  well  laid  out  streets,  properly 
lighted,  paved  and  amply  jirovided  with 
shade  trees,  relief  from  noise,  dirt  and  con- 
fusion— all  these  things  and  many  others 
contemplated  in  the  Plan  of  Chicago  are 
agencies  that  make  not  (inly  for  the  future 
greatness  of  the  city,  but  the  hapjiiness  and 
prosperity  of  all  the  people  within  our 
gates.  The  ideal  of  a  city  must  rise  above 
mere  commercial  and  industrial  supremacy, 
taking  the  higher  ground  of  becoming  an 
attractive,  composite  home  for  its  residents, 
both  of  large  and  small  means,  as  well  as 
for  tlie  stranger  within  its  gates. 

The  crowning  necessity  for  the  adoption 
of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  by  the  City  of  Chi- 
cago is  shown  in  the  fact  that  in  the  twenty- 
five  years  ending  in  IDOfi  the  ]>eople  of  the 
city  of  Chicago  expended  $l'i'5,000,000  for 
extraordinary  improvements,  with  nothing 
to  show  for  this  vast  sum  but  a  city  grown 
by  chance  and  without  orderly  develop- 
ment. During  that  time  the  people  of  Chi- 
cago actually  spent  for  improvements  but 
.$35,000,000  iess  than  the  city  of  Paris  ex- 
pended upon  its  i)lan  for  the  rebuilding  of 
the  entire  city,  making  it  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  attractive  city  in  the  world. 

1.  Of  what  can  llurc  he  no  idra  rjivt  n  in   llils 

volume  f 

2.  Whai  is  it  that  the  men   interested  in  the 

production  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  do  not 
say,  but  what  do  they  believe? 

,?.   What  confident  belief  have  they  in  giving  us 
this  design  for  a  future  city? 


146 


WACKER'S  MANUAL  OF  THE  PLAN  OF   CHICAGO 


•/. 


6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

n. 

12. 
13. 

14. 
15. 

16. 


18. 


19. 


20. 


21. 


^Yhat  do  they  say  ice  will  have  ivltcn  it  is 
worked  out  in  any  of  its  details,  and  ivhen 
it  is  completed  f 

What  did  the  men  who  produced  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  realize  when  they  undertook 
their  taskf 

What  is  it  that  gives  a  basis  for  bond  issues 
far  in.  excess  of  the  utmost  cost  of  carry- 
ing out  the  plan? 

What  is  greater  than  the  entire  cost  of  exe- 
cuting the  Plan? 

What  will  the  changes  broucjht  about  by  the 
various  steps  in  the  Plan  do? 

Wliat  new  law  would  it  be  desirable  to  Itavc 
passed? 

Wliat  has  happened  in  Chicago  wherever 
streets  have  been  widened? 

What  would  be  the  result  of  a  law  giving 
the  city  power  to  own  property  in  street 
widening  cases? 

How  is  the  city  restricted  undir  tlie  present 
law? 

Wliat  is  the  opinion  of  the  ablest  men  iclid 
have  studied  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
carrying  out  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

What  is  necessary  to  realize  the  Plan? 

Wliat  ivas  Chicago  when  the  first  tremen- 
dous task  to  try  the  spirit  and  character 
of  her  citizenship  was  brought  forth? 

More  than  sixty  years  ago  what  became  ap- 
parent would  be  necessary  to  secure  prop- 
er drainage  and  protect  the  health  of  the 
city? 

What  did  the  people  do,  handicapped  as  they 
were  with  little  machinery  for  such 
labor? 

How  did  that  icork,  in  its  period,  compare 
with  the  rearrangement  of  streets  accord- 
ing to  the  Plan  of  Chicago? 

What  was  accomplished  fifty  years  ago,  by 
only  a  fraction  of  the  number  of  people 
now  living  in  Chicago,  by  the  city  look- 
ing to  everybody  to  do  his  share  to  ad- 
vance the  work? 

What  civic  feat  did  the  people  of  Chicago 
accomplish  between  1880  and  1890  which 
gives  ns  today  the  splendid  benefits  of 
the  sanitary  waterway? 

What  did  the  people  of  Chicago  do  to  cele- 
brate the  400th  anniversary  of  America's 
discovery  by  Columbus? 

What  has  been  proven  throughout  the  entire 
hidory  of  the  city? 


23.  What  docs  Chicago's  history  demonstrate? 

24.  What  is  the  still  stronger  reason  that  comes 

to  us  from  our  hislory  to  believe  the  Plan 
of  Chicago  will  be  the  next  public  enter- 
prise upon  which  the  citizens  will  em- 
bark? 

25.  What  is  it  that  ice  all  know  we  would  not 

tolerate  today  in  our  cities? 

26.  What  new  lessons  are  we  Icarningf 

27.  In  crystallizing  our  minds  on  the  various 

aims  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago,  what  do  we 
naturally  conclude  are  the  four  main  ele- 
mrnfs  most  necessary  to  begin  upon  at 
once? 

28.  In  consiclcring  the  street  plan,  what  did  the 

architects'  report  show? 

29.  To  what  is  this  large  increase  in  value  due? 

30.  How  do  the  suggestions  of  the  Plan  of  Chi- 

cago produce  results  beneficial  to  all  in- 
terests in  regard  to  the  railroads  and  the 
harbors? 

31.  By  what  is  the  commercial  prosperity  of  the 

community  represented? 

32.  Why  will  the  public  not  be  compelled  to  pay 

for  the  railroad  changes  suggested  in  the 
Plan  of  Chicago? 

33.  Why  could  the  people  fifty  years  ago  live  in 

comfort  and  good  order  without  public 
parks? 

34.  What  is  the  prime  object  of  good  city  plau-^ 

ning? 

35.  In  park  planning  tchat  is  an  economic  neces- 

sity for  the  city? 

36.  What  have  we  noted  before  as  seeking  dump- 

ing ground  on  the  lake  shore  and  why? 

37.  What  area  do  engineers  say  this  material  is 

sufficient  to  fill? 

38.  What  would  the  park  authorities  have   to 

furnish  for  the  creation  on  the  lake  front 
of  an  extremely  beautiful  and  useful  pub- 
lic recreation  ground  involving  very  little 
public  expense? 

39.  Wliat  will  make  an  additional  park  feature 

not  usually  designed  for  cities  in  Amer- 
ica, but  almost  invariably  used  in 
Europe? 

40.  How  is  the  cost  of  these  wooded  sites,  which 

will  be  considerable,  offset  in  gain  to  the 
2}  CO  pic  ? 

41.  How  soon  can  the  outer  parks  be  acquired 

and  improved  without  the  cost  being  bur- 
densome, and  what  will  be  the  result? 


FINAL   IJKSULT   OF   TlIK    PLAN 


14'; 


JJ.  Ildir  call  tin  iiih  nirliaii  liiglnnn/  system  tu 
link  ilir  oiilir  parks  togitlnr  be  realized 
vtfij  cheaply.' 

43.  Why  is  it  a  inaltrr  of  cnmpnralivdy  small: 
expense  now  to  acquire  the  land  for  the 
parhs  necessary  for  the  west  and  south 
sides.' 

41.  Why  would  the  north  side  tract  prove  the 
most  costly  of  all  three  if  taken  todays 

4.').  Why  shoidd  the  land  necessary  for  the  civic 
center  be  secured  as  soon  as  sentinu  nt  for 
its  establishment  can  be  created' 

4G.  What  could  the  city  do  hy  taking  I  In  land 
for  the  civic  center  today ' 

17.  Wliat  would  follow  the  adoption  of  suili  a 
scheme  of  purchase? 

4S.  Why  ivould  it  be  an  excellent  thing  fur  the 
city  to  establish  the  civic  center  on  the 
irest  sidef 

J.'i.  Ifiiw  should  the  cost  of  the  civic  center  be 
borne? 

50.  iiumming  np  the  subject  of  the  cost  of  adopt- 
ing the  Plan  of  Chicago,  how  does  it  seem 
to  be  apportioned? 

:'l.  What  was  the  condition  of  Paris  xvhen  that 
city  adopted  a  street  improvement  plan 
in  volving  ^360,000,000? 


.o.-T. 


r,(;. 

57 . 
38. 

r,9. 

60. 
61. 


Why  was  the  exp(  nse  of  the  improiH  me  nt  eif 
Paris  justified? 

Wlio  in  Paris  benefits  from  the  expenditxires 
of  millions  of  dejllars  drawn  from  all 
quarters  of  the  world? 

What  are  conditions  in  Chicago  today? 

With  the  Plan  of  Chicago  realizeel  and  our 
city  maele  attractive,  healthful,  open  to 
the  light,  and  a  place  of  beautiful  street 
views,  ivhat  will  Chicago  become? 

What  is  another  and  deeper  motive  in  city 
planning  than  material  upbuilding,  anel 
what  is  its  significance? 

What  does  city  building  mean? 

What  is  the  effect  upon  us  of  attraelive  sur- 
roundings? 

What  are  the  agencies  that  make  for  the  fu- 
ture greatness  of  the  city  anel  the  happi- 
ness and  prosperity  of  all  the  people? 

What  must  the  ideal  of  a  city  rise,  above, 
and  u-hat  higher  ground  shoulel  it  take} 

What  is  the  crowning  argument  in  favor  of 
Chicago  adopting  anel  carrying  out  tlie 
Plan  of  Chicago  being  studied  and  pro- 
moted by  the  Chicago  Plan  Co)nmission? 


University  of  California 

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405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


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